


A Siren's Last Song

by sinning_cupcake



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Development, F/M, Heavy Lore, M/M, McHanzo - Freeform, Overwatch - Freeform, Romance, Symmrat, i hate the new meta, loooots of killing kiddos!, mercykill - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2018-08-29 12:16:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 95,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8489332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinning_cupcake/pseuds/sinning_cupcake
Summary: Legends tell a story of an immortal Reaper whose ship is cursed to endless lingering through the wild waters. The captain of the infamous Death Blossom is thought to be a merciless killer who feeds on souls of the unfortunate victims. He tortures them, laughing at their misery while his crew dances on their bones. But those are myths, something Angela never believed. Never did a pirate place fear in her heart, never did the one and only Gabriel Reyes intimidate her with his looks as she saw him come in through the front door of her clinic…





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Pirate!AU with most heroes thrown into action. Most thankful to my personal Mercy, Hanzo, and McCree, love you guys.

_ Let me  tell you a story the legends hold true, _

_ That the sirens still sing in the endless dark blue, _

_ Where the boldness does vanish in the sight of a ship _

_ And the lads part ways in the shadows with a quivering lip. _

_ The sails that glow like milk in the sky, _

_ Tell the secrets  to birds that pass the ship by. _

_ And the captain stands at the wheel like a stone, _

_ Conquering waters, making planks groan. _

_ Takes he the souls of those that challenge his wit, _

_ Making them walk to feed the fish he sees fit. _

_ The Reaper they call him; the Devil’s right hand, _

_ Everyone knows him who walks this rich land. _

_ And everyone fears as he comes in the night, _

_ To slaughter the innocent and frighten the bright.   _

_ Now sleep dear lass, close your eyes and dream sweet, _

_ Or else the Reaper will come to use your skin as a sheet. _

 

**I**

 

Nassau  bloomed by morning as the first rays of the warming sun touched the rooftops of the buildings. The town seemed to glow, inviting the peaceful weather into its arms, blessed by the harmony after a storming week that passed by. The wet white sand could finally absorb the heat it so longed for and tingle naked feet of squealing children that danced around in celebration of a new quiet morning.

The streets became busy right as the first rooster croaked its song, reminding that work was to begin and new chores had to be assigned. Merchants were already at task, setting up their well-looking stations as they began their routine of hooking customers with their vivid and loud speeches; bright crooked smiles on their faces as they tried to convince that whatever they were selling was better than the neighboring contestants’. It barely led to violence, but when it did the local self-called guards made sure it was resolved quickly. Then, the life continued as per usual, awaiting pleasant surprises to bring a difference into the routine.

Doctor Ziegler sat on the chair in the room upstairs that was enveloped in a soft coat of pastel blue, glowing in the light that beat through the open window.  The soft curtains swayed from side to side as the ocean breeze invited itself into the building, filling up the woman’s lungs with freshness. She adored the endless waters she could regard through the window, but she could never see herself sailing far away. This was her home and she refused to leave; here, even with pirates, the woman felt safe.  People of high society considered those men to be dirty and rude, although some of them did live up to such stereotypes, most were quite polite in their own way. No one dared to take advantage of her kindness and shared common respect.  She helped the hurt and the sick, saving lives while hiding a secret of her own.  Nassau, by itself, was a large chest full of mysteries, the inhabitants of which had their own dark burden.

Years back she was forced to flee the England from the risk of being the star guest at the gallows. Her medical skills were exceptional and curiosity knew no boundaries, thus Angela enhanced her studies on human experimentation with various mixes that lead to unfortunate circumstances. A noble that she tried to cure in her own way fell victim to the evil alternative, and even though the woman never knew his name nor saw him, she was sure that he was of a high rank and importance which she stripped from him with a few droplets of improvised solution. She wondered if he died in agony or peacefully fell into deep sleep without waking by morrow; whatever it was, she was now a wanted criminal, almost pronounced a witch with so much gold placed onto her head that one could become as rich as a king.

The better end was to forget about her experiments and begin her life anew, in this very clinic; although she still remembered the secret stash of the mixture, just in case if she found a need for it, or perhaps a desire to resume her studies. For now, she had to rest low and enjoy the honor of saving lives with her little crew.

“Angela, breakfast’s here.” Mei’s small head appeared in the doorway, her large glasses sliding onto her small nose creating a rather amusing scene as she later continued further into the room with a large tray in her petite hands. A small silver bowl had a few cut fresh vegetables covering a piece of well-cooked meat. In another one nearby, mashed potatoes with some sauce from the east that the woman kept as a secret ingredient specialty. Angela never complained; it tasted of heaven and foreign tradition she wished to visit one day. When the black-haired girl placed the tray on a clean desk that just last night had an endless amount of paper scattered all over it, and looked to the doctor with a tender smile.

“Thank you, dear.” Ziegler beamed back at her, hands folding on top of her skirt in a gesture of relaxation. She was thankful for Mei’s most exquisite cooking since Angela, a shy thing to mention, could not tame the kitchen and the only knife that listened to her was of a surgical nature.

“Lucio is out hunting for herbs again, I think it became his morning routine.” Mei giggled as she turned to make her way to the window and peek outside, eyes scanning the ocean’s open arms before she suddenly gasped and pressed further against the windowsill. “Oh my goodness...is that...no it can’t be.”

“Mei? What’s the trouble?” Angela’s thin elegant brows curved, causing her expression to tense as it formed confusion. The woman slowly elevated from her seat before making her way over to the other’s side, peeked over her head.

“Do you see that ship in the distance? Right over there.” Mei’s hand lifted as her small finger pointed toward the shadow of the large vessel that was gliding over the horizon and seemingly decreasing the distance between it and the port. “If my vision is true, I’ve seen these sails before. Isn’t that-”

“Death Blossom.” Angela finished as she felt her chest tighten. Captain Gabriel Reyes was sailing toward Nassau to stock up on supplies most likely. Last time she saw him was a year  ago, even then he was in a hurry for whatever mission he had in store. At the moment, the doctor could feel the sudden change in the town’s atmosphere as if with their discovery many others have followed. It was always like this when an infamous figure appeared at the cost of Nassau, the  mood changed depending on who it was. This time it was to be quieter than before.

The dark frame wrapped its coils around Gabriel’s name crowning him as a Reaper: the death of all sailors that ever came his way.  He was the most wanted by the Crown for many reasons, some of which anyone barely knew. His ship was a sign of bad luck on the trade routes which was followed by reports of death and sinking of vessels. Rumors say that Captain Reyes always killed the crew first before their captain, letting the poor lad watch his loyal men die in agony before he followed them to the ocean’s bottom. He was a merciless man but never lacked in manners.  His team was under a strict command and always appeared in port most gracefully like a shadow. Unless, of course, they were tired of customs after a long year’s journey.

Right now, the town was preparing to meet the citizens of Death Blossom; some with open arms, others with false smiles as they pushed their children back into their houses for safety. Nassau was a pirate’s safe haven with no doubt, but no one enjoyed having a famous bandit in the close proximity to their kin. He was a figure that appeared in many lullabies that warned children that if they refused to sleep, the Reaper would come and skin them alive, laughing at their twisted expressions, and let their men imitate the cries on their musical instruments. The tune of death was rumored to be heard after each time a ship sunk from Gabriel’s hand, and if anyone heard it, they were to be damned until their demise.

Angela didn’t believe in the clutter those crones cooed about between themselves. After their first two meetings with Gabriel, she remarked that he indeed was a gentleman. And if he failed to address her by her medic title due to his stubborn pirate nature, he never failed to show deep respect for her making time to rescue his men. For many he was a subject of fear and endless longing, to her, he was a strong captain with a passion for the untamed sea.  She wasn’t afraid of him, not even a bit, although sadly she couldn’t say such about Mei and Lucio who evidently always became nervous and closed up around the pirate. Whatever today was to bring, the woman was sure that there was nothing to be afraid of. The sooner Death Blossom departed from Nassau, the faster all of them could breathe in relief and laugh about it during an evening break on the back porch with Lucio’s signature herbal tea.

* * *

 

“Captain, Nassau is nearing us.” Amelie turned her head toward the captain’s bridge, her dark brown hair pushed away from her face after gazing down to the water. The tall thin French woman made her way up the wooden steps that led to the platform, the dark tails of her coat playing with the wind. The rest of the crew knew her as Widowmaker, while only the captain and his second-in-command had the honor to address her by her name. She was a cold woman, a huntress of the crew whose eyes could see the unseen distances, thus becoming the best choice for the title of a sea artist and unsurprisingly a quartermaster as well. She never lived up to the stereotype of a woman being a bad luck on the ship,more of the opposite, she saved the ship’s routes many times, as well as helped with important decisions and organization of resources.

“Very well.” A deep voice came in response, turning the whole attention to the tall man behind a dark wheel that two strong hands held with precision. The captain himself was dressed rather lightly as the weather changed its mood rather quickly. At night it was cold, by day: endlessly hot. He could not handle the burden of the black frock he so adored to wear, thus Reyes chose to remain in his white blouse that was softly untied at the front, partially exposing his strong tan chest. The breeze against his front, toying with the red bandana that was tied around his head, hiding the short black chevelure underneath.

As he watched the sails ease by the command of his first mate that already knew exactly what the captain was thinking. Gabriel smirked, the young lad was only nineteen and already knew his job well, earning his rank fairly.  Jesse was an exceptional man; his shot was true, his charisma barely lacked, and of course he knew discipline even though sometimes he appeared to be childish from time to time, which Gabriel accepted since it lit the crew’s mood during the gloom. Not many knew much of McCree; he was not a man, but a mystery.  The origin of his strange accent was unknown, as well as his past life was only a black line that even the captain didn’t know about.  He picked the boy up when he was sixteen on Tortuga, the time when Death Blossom was beginning its three years reign. Jesse often let a mention of New Orleans slip his mouth after a few cups of rum, but the next morning he acted as if he had nothing of such location.  Reyes never asked, as long as the man was loyal to the ship and the crew, he didn’t care for the broken past since most of the men present had their scars to recall upon.

“Gentlemen.” Gabriel never raised his voice, but it seemed to echo through the deck as suddenly all men fell quiet; they always listened, never interrupting as if their breaths have vanished with the wind. “We will depart from Nassau in three days when the anchor hits the bottom.” He motioned toward the bay that was already in clear sight.  From a quick look, the captain noticed a few people beginning to gather at the shore, observing their anticipating expressions as if they awaited Death Blossom’s arrival for a while. Perhaps a few from the crew had relatives here, those they wished not to lose, but placed under deadly danger. Once a pirate, forever a pirate.

“You have permission to do whatever your land-yearning heart wishes, but I expect everyone to be aboard by third day’s sunrise. Am I clear?”

“Aye, Captain!” A unison of voice followed, tired faces lighting up with sudden joy for the great news. The pirates could finally rest in warm bed, perhaps even in the arms of a local beauty, as well as eat and drink their blackened souls away.  Once Gabriel dismissed the short gathering, everyone hurried to work as they wished to board the ship quickly and finally feel the ground against their feet.  

“You’re too kind, Gabriel.” Jesse leaned on the railing nearby, smirking as he watched the crew run around like squirming roaches that detected food crumbs. He tipped his leather tricorn slightly back, humming to himself a tune only he knew the meaning of.  

“We all deserved rest.” The captain spoke back sharply, making McCree chuckle in reply as he enjoyed playing with the leader’s moods, teasing him any time he could even though he risked to walk the plank. He knew he wouldn’t, unless of course he royally messed things up.

“Are ya gonna visit that golden-haired siren ya spoke of?” Jesse’s eyes suddenly lit up dangerously as he pushed away from the supporting polished wood and slowly approached the taller man.  He briefly made eye contact with Amelie, noticing her disapproving glare yet only grinning back. “D’ya howl for her like a wolf at the moon or…?” He was suddenly cut off by a brief glance that could place anyone into stupor.  The dark irises were filled with cold fire, tongue of which lashes the first mate across the face and wrapped around his neck, pulling out the last oxygen from his lungs. It was then when the youngster had to step back and understand that he already dared to stay too much.

“Miss Ziegler is the reason your left forearm is not empty but actually a functioning something.” Gabriel replied coldly, but his words were dipped in bitter just so that McCree could feel the offense he dealt. The first mate looked away, eyes obediently falling down to his prosthetic arm that was a fine work art. It was cut of wood in a shape that matched him and even a hand, though motionless, but multi-functional. It saved him a whole lot and could be easily exchanged into a hook or a blade when the man so needed. The doctor did a wonderful job of making it fit, to which Jesse was endlessly grateful; perhaps he shall cease undressing the woman to the captain in order to escape a further fit.  His eyes crawled up to notice that Reyes was already facing away, watching the crew gather to let their captain step his foot first onto the soft warm sand. McCree muttered a quick apology under his nose, which Gabriel, of course, took a notice of but refused to acknowledge out loud. Both of the men knew that the faux pas was forgiven as long as it did not repeat again. Amelie was already at the captain’s side, her cold eyes watching him descend down the tilted plank until his boots hit the wooden bridge that led toward the port.  The man hummed to himself, taking a deep breath of fresh air and catching the scent of spices that came from the market somewhere nearby.  He heard music playing in the distance, singing and dancing seen from the corner of his eye, and the loud birds making themselves known as they glided through the wind above the men’s heads.

Gabriel smiled to himself briefly, stepping aside to signal for the crew to leave the ship and finally begin their longed celebration the approach of which no one dared to stretch. In a second, most of the crew hurried toward the heart of the city, howling and yapping as they fell to their knees to hug the beloved earth and praise the blessed gift of multi-color as they were sick of endless blue. A few of them were to return by dusk to watch the ship and stand its ground well; such volunteers received a ton of respect since Death Blossom was an honor to take care of.

The two that remained behind walked slowly with Reyes as he gave them their personal orders.  The Quartermaster was to keep an eye on the crew from time to time, especially the newcomers that haven’t spent a year on the ship. The First Mate drowsily promised that he was to keep away from trouble and not annoy women if they denied him. With that, the trio parted ways, everyone going for their own business while Gabriel swung the favored frock over his shoulders and set his course toward the building which positioned east of the city and resembled a clinic if his memory recalled correctly. He hoped that Angela was still there, already expecting for the Captain to come by, with boxes of supplies ready and assembled as she knew exactly what he wished for.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They called a pirate for tea once...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're a person that likes to listen to music that goes with the chapter here is a Spotify playlist I made specifically for this story : https://open.spotify.com/user/samuel_wasloth/playlist/4U3k17iDHQdfmX8Cu1tKGF
> 
> Songs that go with the sections are in bold. Enjoy~

**II**

 

The seagulls invaded the beaming sky, their wings swaying viciously from side to side as they hunted for crumble of food at the local market. The fishermen remained alert since the worse time of the morning came to them with an unfriendly gift. The fish they caught recently was now at risk of being stolen by the cunning thieves that already picked their targets. The cries filled the air, disturbing the peace that the island enjoyed only for a few precious moments, yet the citizens were accustomed to it since sharing a room with such irritating creatures was a small price to pay for a place in town. 

The distant whistles of Death Blossom’s crew indicated that the men already found the first tavern. Other perhaps moved toward a more warming place which they have missed for a while: brothels. Whatever they planned did not concern the captain, as long as they haven’t formed any foolish bonds here over the course of a few days that they would regret later. 

The streets were filled with life. Dancers hopped from one side to another, spinning with their partners as music played loudly, echoing from one alley to another. It spread the news, a hidden code that a new ship was at bay, and thus those most caring began to make their taverns and market corners as presentable as possible. They knew that Death Blossom was a large demanding vessel that hasn’t fed on souls by the legends, but simple food that the ship’s cook knew how to prepare for a hundred men. Ideally, they expected the all-knowing Quartermaster to show her face in their view, but certainly not the captain himself. 

They nodded their heads in a greeting as their eyes caught the sight of Gabriel. There was no other pirate ship in town, thus the Death Blossom was the dominating guest for the next three days unless of course, someone was to show up fashionably late.

The clinic was already in sight; a two-story building with a large self-made sign that indicated that a medic remained here most of the time ready to fulfill their duties any given moment. Gabriel pushed the red wooden door with a soft touch of his hand, hearing a small bell ring above his head that indicated that a customer has arrived. He chuckled, well, now he couldn't come in undetected. 

The first one to greet him was Mei. The eastern girl became nervous as she saw the pirate in his whole form. He looked intimidating with his attire as well as a long French rapier that was fixed onto his left hip. It was a dear gift from Amelie as a token of her gratefulness. A few years back, before Gabriel became a captain of his own ship, he and the French woman were close acquaintances in a few crimes that bonded them nearly by blood. He saved her from a few bullets, and she him from a long dagger aiming for his back; from there, he asked her if she wished to escape the damned English land, pointing toward a lonely ship in the distance. It was disorganized at first, but Amelie managed to place the wild crew into their place, making them respect her and their new unexpected captain. Everything felt rushed that day, but both of them could not come back to the chaos that they left behind in England. 

“G-good morning, sir.” Mei fixed her glasses, a soft smile appearing on her lips as she hesitated. “The Doctor will join you in a moment, she-”

“Captain Reyes.” Angela’s voice spread throughout the room as she entered from the stairway hidden in the hall that led into the first living room. Her hair was raised and fixed into a high ponytail, a silky blue ribbon holding the golden locks in place.  She was wearing a long white coat over her attire, sending a message that she still hasn’t forgotten the English ways. Gabriel was used to seeing medics wearing nothing of such elegant sort, nor he cared as long as the job was done and his crew was alive and kicking. He found it amusing, as his eyes ran over her appearance, it brought a few memories from his past that he immediately forced onto the back of his mind. The man straightened in a greeting of both ladies, his chin rising slightly.  He despised the aristocratic ways that still lived deep inside him, thus he turned it into a new style, adding a few rogue and rebellious aspects.

“Miss Ziegler.” He responded with a short nod. The woman’s smile remained still as she turned her head and nudged Mei slightly. 

“Go find Lucio, we need to assemble a few herbs for the captain before we give him the supplies.” Angela whispered softly, sending Mei on her way as she was happy to get away from the big scary pirate in the room. After that, the medic turned her attention back to Gabriel and corrected him with a calm tone in her tender voice. “It’s Doctor Ziegler, please call me so.”

“I see you have two others on the team, Miss Ziegler.” Gabriel smirked, challenge burning in his eyes as he refused to obey the woman’s polite demand. Angela’s brow quirked ever so slightly, a ghost of a smile brushing her pink lips. She wasn’t impressed with his disobedience if that’s the effect he wished for, nevertheless, she was grateful for his politeness.  It was not always that she received such a patient response from a pirate captain, besides, Gabriel was a man that could hold a conversation for hours, a gentleman that disciplined his crew to be such as well. Angela secretly enjoyed the news of his arrival, that meant that she could, in short time, perhaps hear  a few stories of his adventures at sea since she herself would never step onto the ship for a long voyage. 

“Yes, I do indeed. Since you left a few things have changed around here, mostly for the good. I no longer have to share my worries with syringes.” She laughed, covering her lips with her palm as the joke seemed to be truthful. Before Lucio and Mei, the doctor had endless conversations with her medicine and patients, venting to them during operations and even asking for advice. Now her life became easier and more amusing since she had two helpers living with her and sharing the same passion for saving lives, even if they belonged to most wicked pirates of the seas.  

“A joy.” Gabriel nodded; he knew of loneliness before, but now he was endlessly surrounded by men of his team, thus voices never stopped gracing his ears whether he was alone in his quarters or standing at the wheel and gazing into the distance of the horizon. “We are to remain in Nassau for three days, thus I plan to pick up the supplies on the third day, if that of course doesn’t bring you any trouble.” Gabriel turned to approach the woman slowly, his hands kept behind his back and posture most strong and elegant.  If not for his pirate nature, he would’ve looked like a representative of the Crown and Her Majesty, but knowing Reyes, it was an insult to him to be compared to such. He despised the nobility and everyone who was associated with the throne.  The history that he shared, before Death Blossom became his new life. is rather dark; the captain often took his mind back into those days but usually forced them to vanish with a tankard of rum. 

“That brings no issue.” Angela answered, standing her ground where she was, even when the man grew into a large mountain inches away from her. She wasn’t intimidated, no, Doctor Ziegler knew how to answer back with force if such need arose. Nevertheless, she was sure that she was no match for the pirate brute before her, although both of them knew that there was no need for violence. Gabriel wasn’t a savage that ravished women like his enemies: mercilessly and forgetful afterwards. He would never touch her without a permission, which she wouldn’t give anyway. Or would she?

Gabriel was a man of exotic beauty. His dark eyes spoke of wisdom and experience in any area that was demanded of a man and pirate in the world. The voice was dominant as well as his posture that never failed to be as straight as a string of a guitar. Angela knew many ladies of Nassau that swooned for this captain, but she wasn’t moved that easily. Besides, no matter how many times she caught herself staring, she wasn’t interested and barely had any time to things that concerned affection. No way was she going to be charmed by a man of such tempting complexion, not a chance.  Well, was there a  chance with this man at all?

“That settles it then.” Gabriel smirked, his lips spreading slightly but enough to wrinkle the scar over his mouth and cheek. He noticed Angela’s wondering gaze over him, finding it amusing; she wasn’t the first one doing it, but it felt different from all other women. Suddenly, the captain almost felt honored that such a modest woman, with no hint of desire for romance, is holding a gaze on him. The doctor looked up, her eyes catching the other’s as she understood that he knew of her actions and looked away quickly toward the stands with medical supplies, feeling her cheeks light up slightly in a treacherous pink. 

“I hope you rest well, Captain Reyes.” Angela smiled over her shoulder as she picked up a few folders with important documentations in them. She looked them over, more to make herself look busy rather than actually reading the words written in careful cursive.

“Good luck, Miss Ziegler. I will see you soon before my departure.” The man’s broad back turned to face Angela, making her notice the muscles tense up as he straightened his back and approached the exit. His fingers wrapped around a small bronze doorknob and pulled the door open, freezing immediately as he came face to face with Lucio and Mei.  The two stopped at their tracks, gazing upward at the large mountain that grew before them. The captain tilted his head, his eyes studying the herbs boy and his companion he met earlier just now. A short nod indicated a greeting before he stepped aside to let the two slip inside their safe haven. 

Angela watched the scene with a smile, chuckling to herself as she saw her helpers shiver with fear of angering the pirate somehow; with a roll in her eyes she took a step forward and called for Gabriel’s attention to which the man answered immediately with a look over his shoulder. 

“Perhaps you can join us for morning tea? Tell a few tales of your travels?” The doctor wondered, feeling a bit uncomfortable since she knew no pirate that had a civil tea party with the representatives of society. It was silly to ask an alcohol-loving captain about such a thing, but his company was a curious aspect Ziegler wished to explore. She adored hearing stories full of action that a pirate captain survived on his journey, but she couldn’t come up with anything else. Her blue eyes looked up to find a pair of dark ones, watching her in amusement as both of them knew how awkward the situation became. 

“As long as there is a bottle of something strong on the table.” Gabriel hinted with a smirk on his scarred lips. He then nodded in farewell and left the standing trio in the living room, looking at each other as they pondered if inviting the pirate for breakfast was a good idea. Mei’s brows slipped upward as she watched the medic smile, a mysterious beam indicating that the doctor was content with a positive answer from Gabriel. It was odd for her to suddenly invite guests over since her work never stopped, but it seemed since Death Blossom appeared in the port, people chose to forget about their sickness for the time being. 

“Are you really sure ‘bout this?” Lucio placed the basket filled with flowers and other plants onto the table, beginning to sort them over a thin cloth and make sure he had everything right on the list. Angela gave a pause, thinking before she turned her head to face the man with a short nod

“It wouldn’t harm us. Besides, if having a powerful ally will only do us better. After all, Nassau fears the captain.” Ziegler shrugged and laughed to herself. “I also must know of his sailing. I bet it’s filled with battles that I will never witness with my own eyes, but can only imagine.” With that, the woman returned upstairs into her room where she began planning a few thing for tomorrow, patiently waiting for a new customer to appear at her doorstep. 

 

* * *

 

“I’m telling ya! He was thiiiiis big.” Jesse slammed his tricorn onto the table of the bar,  waving his hands as he tried to indicate the size of a giant he saw in the ocean’s dark waters. Of course the man had to exaggerate for the sake of a good conversation; a young mind always saw things much larger than they appeared, dramatizing each moment. McCree noticed the other pirates laughing as they sat around at the table, drinks in their hands.  Some of them were already intoxicated which was a sign for Gabriel’s first mate that he could drop a few feeble jokes and make it the trending moment for the rest of the night. That is mostly how he earned his popularity on the ship and soon a name of the captain’s right hand. The crew chose him after all, suggested at the highest degree since the lad knew how to bring a lighter mood to the dark ship. 

 

“Ye, ye, and my sister’s a mermaid.” Laughed one of the crew members, chugging the rum in his tankard and then slamming the bottom onto the table with a sharp exhale. He whistled for the waitress, a blond thin woman, to come with another. The woman obeyed, switching the drink to a full one and receiving a good squeeze on her rear before she hurried away with flushed cheeks from the laughing pirates. Jesse rolled his eyes, chuckling at himself as he knew that this wasn’t the first time he made a whale out of a shark in his stories. 

“Ah forget it, blind fools.” He said and tilted his mug to let the burning bitterness warm up his chest. He closed his eyes briefly, smiling to himself as he was suddenly alone in the large crowd.  Sitting at the bar was a blessing and sometimes he wished if he could just stay here forever instead of going out sailing under the black flag. He had his reasons for not making that decision: he owed Gabriel and the ocean. Sailing became his passion after a strong ship with Reyes in command saved him from the misery of the prison in New Orleans. The poor boy hasn’t done anything wrong but stole a loaf bread for his starving friend, putting up a fight afterward which resulted in killing an officer in self-defense.  He was expected to be hanged the following morning if not Gabriel’s sudden attack on the port which resulted in the explosion of the jail’s walls, fortunately where Jesse was located. 

Their first meeting wasn’t a pleasant one since McCree was taken as a hostage, thrown against the deck like a fish onto the hot sand under the burning sun. He could’ve died if not for  his strong desire to live and an endless amount of charismatic wit that the crew and the captain had a good laugh at, deciding to keep the young lad on the ship as their personal jester. 

“What’s with that face?” Gabriel’s husky voice appeared next to Jesse’s ear, pulling the young man out of his distant memories and causing him to spin in his seat to face the captain that took a seat nearby.  The rest of the crew didn’t notice their leader since they were too busy in their daydreaming drunken world, which was a good sign of them enjoying themselves for the short time being. 

“Nothing, sir, just thinkin’.” McCree looked away toward the contents of his tankard and smirked. “I was remembering the time ya got me out of that shit hole of a prison.” The foreigner shrugged and took a quick swig. 

“Ah, you mean the day when the crew nearly lost their lungs to laughter?” Reyes chuckled and ordered himself something strong to wash his dry throat. The mug appeared soon before him and the alcohol didn’t take long to make its way into his system, easing off his tense muscles and making his chest warm. The captain sat back, toying with the corners of his frock as he relaxed. 

“Yeah, yeah.” McCree laughed, shaking his head as for him that day was the day when the power above decided to give him a second chance. Dang, he owed to a lot of people now, huh? “And what are ya up to, captain? Done with your beautiful siren?” A heavy gaze followed afterward, telling Jesse that it was once again a bad decision.  The man shrugged, smiling innocently at the other as he waited for an answer that would satisfy his curiosity.   
“Miss Ziegler had a warm welcome and promised that by the time we depart our supplies will be ready.” Gabriel replied sharply, his hand coming to brush over his face as he suddenly realized just how tired he was.  He haven’t slept well since the storm hit the coast and of course Death Blossom had to be caught right in the middle of it. The fine vessel could take anything against its hull, and yet some of the newer crew members couldn’t take being thrown from side to side, thus letting gravity take them away into the mouth of the dark ocean. 

“I bet she’s fond of you.” Jesse hummed, bitterness rising in his young voice as he suddenly felt jealous that the captain was so popular with the ladies but never took advantage of it, while here was McCree, outgoing and amusing, trying his very best to get a kiss somewhere other than his cheek. 

“She’s fond of the gold I pay for the medicine.” Gabriel snickered. “And perhaps the stories I shall tell her…” 

“Stories?” Jesse’s head immediately snapped to the side where the captain rested, eyes sparking with interest as he wished to find out more. Seeing the lad’s  excitement, Gabriel sighed heavily making the choice of submitting his cards to the table. 

“I spoke to her, agreed to the small deal, and then just before leaving received an invitation to join her for tea in the morning.” Reyes shrugged his right shoulder, watching McCree’s confused expression gradually turn into amusement as the first mate suddenly burst into laughter. The youngster slammed his fist against the table a few times, loud enough to attract the attention of a few barely sober sailors that wandered toward the captain lazily to wish him a good evening.  Gabriel nodded in a greeting, dismissing them with the news confirming that they were free. The lads whistled gratefully and returned to their seats just in time for Jesse’s breakout quieting down. 

“Tea.” McCree echoed, smirking to himself as he shook his head. “What a lass, eh?” He giggled to himself, already feeling the alcohol doing its good job in fogging his mind and loosening his already free jaw. 

“She is a woman of politeness. I’d rather have  it this way instead of some wild savage that deals with medicine.” 

“Hah-ha! Liar.” Jesse’s lips spread into a sly smirk as he nudged Gabriel with his elbow. “You looove ‘em wild lasses, I know youuu.” Strong smell of rum hit the captain’s nostrils, causing the man to roll his eyes and push McCree back into his seat since the man managed to sneak closer to Reyes. 

“You know me like a child politics. Cease your idiocy, bucko.”  

“Sorry, captain, but it all seems like a lame love story to me. Ya tell me how it goes. Maybe the siren got a few tricks up her sleeve.” McCree winked as he continued laughing, glad that he got Gabriel to his defensive side again.  The lad slid off his seat and grabbed his tankard as he turned to the table filled with drunken pirates again.  “Hey mateys! Did I tell ya the story of how I once hunted the Kraken?” 

 

* * *

**Starts by Sam Airey**

 

Gabriel’s heavy feet stepped slowly onto the creaking wooden stairs that lead to the second floor of the tavern. Here, an endless hallway of doors that led into spare rooms the owners prepared specifically for the remaining pirates that decided to spend the night in a bed instead of a brothel or the beach. They tried their best to make the area presentable, but the dust still found its way onto the vintage  cabinets and empty flower vases that haven’t known beauty in a long time.  The captain’s  room was located at the very end of the hallway, away from the bar below so that he could get some peace and quiet. 

The Nassau evening was approaching rather quickly. It was as if just now they have boarded the ship at bay, and now the sun was slowly slipping down to crash against the thin line of the horizon and melt away in red. The shine was fading, indicating that soon a pale lady would shine her distant light onto the sea, making it glisten as waves played with the rays. Soon, first stars would appear on the multi-colored sky, inviting the darkness to embrace the land below and begin a celebration of a different kind. 

The clouds vanished, leaving a few streaks painted red and orange as a farewell gift till morrow. It was a beautiful view that many people would miss as they were too busy drinking downstairs or hiding in their homes, but then again, the crew of Death Blossom observed breathtaking sunsets every night during their travels.  As of now, nothing in the sea could surprise them anymore, especially the veterans, and yet the captain always found something new and fascinating about the fiery play of colors. He wasn’t the only one that shared such admiration toward the sky’s mood. 

A door creaked open next to Gabriel as he was passing by, causing the pirate to ease his step and gaze toward the exposing view. The room he observed was small, but tidy thanks to the owner that so carefully tried to make it comfortable. The captain was sure to pay them a double if not triple for such a caring attitude even though they could’ve easily ignored the bandits that invaded their tavern.  Money did magical things to people sometimes, one of those moments being for the best. Further in the room was a bed with thin gray sheets and a single pillow that was carefully placed in the middle to make it look more tempting. A window to the left with open swaying curtains that let in a soft ocean breathe that perhaps was the cause of the door opening since it wasn’t locked. There on the windowsill Gabriel noticed a sitting woman, one leg bending at the surface while the other was swung on the outside side of the building. The woman’s hands were occupied with something silvery, perhaps a locket of some kind.

He smirked to himself, stepping inside of the room and hearing a plank creek under the heel of his boot. The short echo immediately attracted the woman’s attention to the unexpected guest; her head turning sharply to the side and fingers wrapping protectively around the object to hide it from the captain. The man noticed the gesture but said nothing since he knew well what were its contents.

“Amelie.” Gabriel greeted the woman with his usual deep nod and approached the window. It was then when he noticed the abandoned black tailcoat thrown over the chair, leaving the woman in her scarlet waistcoat and a gray button up shirt with a loose black tie around her neck. She was exhausted, it was evident. Widowmaker never showed much emotion on the ship, nor she ever let herself loose her cold restraint.  But now she was by herself and in a company of a man that knew her well, thus she wasn’t afraid to relax back and forget to care for any behavior by the code. 

“Gabriel.” She answered, a small side smirk appearing on her face. “You frightened me.”

“You knew it was me.” The captain shook his head, pressing his left shoulder against the wall next to the window, arms across his broad chest. 

“How could you tell?”

“I didn’t end up with a dagger between my eyes.” The man pressed his index finger between his brows, tapping slightly a few times. He knew Amelie well, this woman was alert even in her sleep, and if he were to be someone else, there would’ve been a corpse resting on the floor of her room. His quartermaster never failed with her targets, especially when they were located in the distance or had to be taken out in the shadows. 

“Heh.” Amelie replied, nodding her head since the devil was right. Her back slid down slowly, sinking deeper against the windowsill as to get more comfortable and watch the last sunshine before it was to turn into darkness. “Time’s flying by so fast. It feels like tomorrow we’re leaving again.”

“You don’t wish to go?” Gabriel asked, eyes watching the horizon as they shared the moment before thin darkness embraced the surroundings. The sun was gone now, the seagulls quietened down, and the distant crickets began their tune. 

“It’s peaceful here.” The woman muttered, her elegant French accent adding beauty and danger to every word she said. Her long dark hair let loose over her shoulder as the hat she wore was already lost somewhere in the room. Her skin matched the night, glowed under the approaching moon even though to some men it was odd how sometimes it gave out a faint purple beam. 

“Until someone else shows up.” The man replied darkly, expanding his lungs in a deep inhale. He knew that long silence was never a good sign, something had to always chance like a sea before the storm. 

“Agh, ferme ta bouche.” Widow rolled her eyes and nudged Reyes with the tip of her boot. “Brighten up, Gabriel. You have a date tomorrow.” 

“A date? Amelie, don’t tell me you-”

“I was in a state most irritating: boredom.” The quartermaster spread her arms defensively. “You told me to look out for the crew so that no one gets in trouble.” 

“Ah, of course, so you decided to roll after me.” The captain grumbled, but he wasn’t angry, quite the opposite. “It’s not a date. Just tea.” 

“Tea. Ha-ha, mon Dieu, Gabriel.” Amelie covered her mouth as she snickered. “Make sure to be polite and no scare the poor woman away.” 

“Believe me, the Neptune himself is unable to place fear in this woman. She is not moved by it.” The captain smiled and pushed away from the wall, hands sliding down to fix the edges of the frock before he turned to the exit. 

“Don’t be foolish.” The French woman called after, her eyes lowering down back to the locket, her thumb running over the smooth silver surface with a saddening shadow washing over her golden gaze.

“Don’t stare at the moon for too long.” Gabriel said over his shoulder as a form of wishing goodnight. He knew that the time Amelie spent under the moon was in an embrace of hidden grief she dedicated to a man she once loved and continued to hold at the palm of her hand. There was nothing he could say or do to ease off the pain she endured, but it seemed that sailing took her mind off of it since action was everlasting.  

Tonight was going to be a long night for many of them, as well as Gabriel who didn’t rush to fall asleep upon his arrival in his room. The coat lethargically slipped off his body and fell onto the floor where the shirt soon followed. The heavy boots flew different directions, separating from each other for the night as the owner wasn’t in the mood to tidy things up. His eyes treacherously refused to close as his head sunk into the hard pillow, watching the darkness dance around his vision along with the pale moonlight that slipped through the open window. He thought of many things, especially the past that refused to leave him during the moment of privacy. Whether he was standing at the wheel by night, or tossing in bed of the captain’s quarters; the nightmares were endless and spoke of past experiences that he wished to forget. Especially those that involved Angela Ziegler. 

 

* * *

**Garden by Wilsen**

 

The morning followed fast. The early birds began to sing their joyful songs as they began to invade the glaucous sky.  Their wings moved fast as they dove under the spreading tree branches, dodged the corners of the colorful buildings, and charged into the everlasting with no care for gravity. 

The weather was in a good mood today as it spread the soft warming breeze throughout the town, slipping into the open windows and awakening the dozing citizens.  The routine began again as it never changed, despite the view of the pirate ship in the distance the sail of which was allowed to sleep until the captain told it to spread its silky arms and take the vessel away into the endless blue. The second day of celebration began to a hangover for the most of the Death Blossom’s crew. The pirates grumbled as they felt sunshine fall onto their exhausted faces, causing them to hide under the sheets and bosoms, hoping that a few more hours of darkness wouldn’t hurt. 

Gabriel was already standing at the mirror, looking over himself as he managed to buy a new coat this morning. It was a black piece with a small triangle cut on the bottom at the back. The sleeves with large intricate buttons at the cuffs rested perfectly hiding the man’s wrists as if it was tailored just for him. Underneath the coat, an ultramarine vest with a various handmade design spreading all over the velvet. It matched perfectly and was suitable for the day to come where Gabriel’s main quest was the breakfast at the clinic. 

“Tea with Mercy.” The captain chuckled to himself as he interpreted Angela’s friendliness to his own accord. Since he left England to go on the account*, the man forgot about all the decency and razzmatazz of a social life. Tea parties, private and public balls, bowing to a lady; all those things weren’t a part of a pirate’s life, and yet the true desire for politeness remained, not matter how the former gentleman wished to rebel, and oh how he tried. 

The walk to the clinic was short, the man didn’t pay attention to his pace since the building came into his view after just a few steps away from the tavern. A familiar ring of the bell above his head, two of the three familiar faces appearing at the front, and soon a third one with a beaming smile beginning to exchange a few words. Soon they gathered at the back of a clinic where Angela held a small garden for the herbs that Lucio wished to grow during the right season.  There were flowers like bluebells, begonias, gardenias, lilacs, and even an apple tree that was already blossoming as an indication of spring. The aroma of peace surrounded the captain as he was invited to sit as a small table with four chairs around it. It was obvious that the residents of this local hospital took care of every living thing present with utter adoration, placing a piece of their heart into every little detail. The outcome was truly fascinating since the garden, even small, seemed to be endless.  The color palette brought the joy to the seeing eyes, making head spin as it tried to grasp and combine the colorful surroundings, remarking how well it matched each other.  

Shortly, he was joined by the rest after Mei brought a silver tray with cups and a small teapot. She smiled shyly at Gabriel who was watching her further actions attentively, wondering what kind of tea they possessed; he would’ve been insulted if it turned out to be English just for the sake of moment drama. 

It turned out to be very different from what he expected. When the eastern woman opened the petite white lid, a strong smell of flowers left graced the pirate’s nostrils, making him slightly tilt forward to peek at the contents that swirled in the boiled water. He noticed petals, perhaps of the same flowers that he just admired over his shoulder; purple, blue, white, pink, all of them gave out a perfect scent of an energizing drink that was soon poured into a cup and placed before Gabriel. The captain arched his brow, not sure if this tea was supposed to be served with sugar or left a joke. But he had to try it since the expectant gazes began to build up the tension. Reyes wrapped his palm around the warm cup, bringing the tip to his lips and tilting it slightly as he caught Angela’s smiling face. She knew he was going to be surprised by how the tea turned out to be sweet without the precious sand-like enhancer. 

“That is something new.” Gabriel admitted, causing the trio before him sigh in relief as they found themselves suddenly worried that they special homemade treat of the clinic wasn’t going to impress the all-knowing captain. 

“Lucio spent sleepless nights wasting water and firewood to come up with a perfect drink.” Mei joked as she grasped her own cup and crossed her legs with a smile. “We thought he was ready to lose his mind.” 

“I considered that bluebells were a necessary ingredient!” The herbalist replied in defence, snickering at his friend’s remark. “Alas, it turned out to be the mistake I had to subtract in order to move on.” He shrugged and turned to face the captain that was smiling to himself; turns out he wasn’t the only perfectionist in this world that wished to make things as smooth and flawless. Although in the situation, Lucio’s work differed greatly from Gabriel’s; while the clinic’s tea brewer worked with flowers, the pirate cut heads clean with his rapier. 

“It’s most pleasant,” Angela’s voice graced the captain’s ear as she spoke. It was as if an angel decided to whisper to him at any time give the opportunity, which made the man ease off even more. “You’ve done a great job, Lucio. Now, let us hear what our guest has in store.” The woman smiled as she retrieved a bottle of rum from under the table as if she was waiting for a perfect moment to show the pirate she hasn’t forgotten about his favor. Reyes noticed the gesture and chuckled, nodding his head approvingly as he watched Mei vanish inside with a giggle from where she soon brought two glasses. The captain arched his brow at the count that was cut half to which the eastern woman explained that she and Lucio did not enjoy anything alcoholic. Any other pirate would’ve called them a few brisk names at this point, but Gabriel was understanding and even approved of their wise choice. 

“What do you wish to know?” The pirate asked with a playful note in his voice as he politely finished his tea and straightened to reach for the bottle. He popped the cork off, already smelling the strong aged smell that he highly approved of. Usually, on the ship the crew cut rum with water thus creating an odd-tasting, but nonetheless satisfying, grog. It was enough to stay somewhat sober and not waste the monthly supply of alcohol that was shut in the storage below deck. He poured a little for the lady and for himself, not to spoil the company with a greedy remark since he had enough to drink last night and possessed no desire of being even tipsy for the rest of the day. 

“Anything.” Angela began, adding eagerly the details she wished to hear about. “Perhaps the former storm that invited itself over a few days ago, or some of the battles you have beaten through.” 

“You are a curious person, Miss Ziegler. Watch out, it might bring harm.” The captain joked as his took a sip of his drink, placing it down and sitting back. His hand reached over to let his fingers scratch his dark beard as he sat back thinking of a few possible things he could’ve started so that they would not bore with details. 

“I think there is more harm of remaining ignorant to the world around.” Angela parried with a smirk, her eyes never leaving the captain’s that evidently accepted her remark. 

“Then why don’t you travel?” Gabriel asked confidently, although both of them already knew exactly why the woman could not leave Nassau in the first place. 

“I am a doctor, sir.” She said shortly, but of course at the back of her head she had a thousand reasons more she could add on if only they weren’t of a private nature. “This is my home where I bring life back to those that don’t deserve to lose it soon. I cannot leave the clinic and my new family.” With that, she earned a pair of thankful smiles from Lucio and Mei that in their role refused to leave as well. Everyone had a place in their world, and the clinic here was made just for them. 

“Well then, I must bathe  you in smallest details.” Gabriel replied after a short pause. To be honest, he had long forgotten what home was for him. Death Blossom was the only place he felt truly safe since his darling ship had been through a lot with him for a short time of three years. England was a damnation he threw over his shoulder, leaving just a few painful scars behind that would never heal and remind him of things he had to suffer through in order to become what he was today: the Reaper. 

“You must indeed.” Angela nodded her head, like a small child sitting at the edge of her seat in anticipation. The captain cleared his throat, fingers brushing the smooth crystal of the drink before him. 

“It was one of those cloudless nights when the crew was ordered to get rest…”

 

* * *

**Leaves’ Eyes - Ankomst**

 

The moon was beautiful. In fact, tonight it decided to appear in a unique color of rich orange instead of its usual paleness. It was an odd sight to ponder but not many complained. Any superstition was dismissed from the ship since there were too many things that went against religion and fortune that Death Blossom had to carry on its deck as a reminder to the crew.  

After the men were dismissed to sleep, Gabriel decided to leave the wheel to McCree who slept through the day, preparing for his night shift, and took a walk toward the nose of the ship where he could get a better look at the light above. His dark eyes lit up in the pale glow, head tilting slightly as he wasn’t sure if it was a vision or a real thing. He had not a droplet of rum today, thus everything that happened before his eyes was indeed real. 

Amelie joined him shortly as she climbed a barrel standing at the mast so she could get a good view for herself as well.  Her eyes seemed to match the color of the moon, which could turn into a beautiful metaphor to scare the new crew members that still were afraid of any change in the usual everyday appearance of surroundings. 

“They slumber under the Widow’s keen eye.” Gabriel said over his shoulder as he gave Amelie a quick look. The quartermaster rolled her eyes and shook her head, making a comment that he was a captain for a reason since being a poet was a failure.  Reyes laughed in reaction to her wit, agreeing nonetheless as the woman was right. All the hopeless romantic mess he left for McCree that was no better in this business. 

His eyes returned to the moon, wondering how long would it stay that way.  The wind had ceased, leaving the silence to slap against the captain’s ears as a few moments back he had to listen to ringing voices of his men and whistles after orders were given out. Now everything was strangely dead. Perhaps there was a storm coming from the north, awaiting with open jaws to devour Death Blossom whole; now it only gave the crew a pleasant time to relax before they would have to work twice as hard again. 

Suddenly, a cool breeze blew from the south, forcing the man to shiver in an unusual occurrence. The ocean around suddenly felt smaller even though there was no land seen for miles in the distance.  The captain turned around to look over to Amelie who seemed to not notice the phenomenon, she was too busy watching the moon with her own thoughts surrounding her mind. 

The man turned back, walking forward to gaze over the wooden railing of the ship and notice the water worrying around even though the breeze wasn’t strong enough to summon small rippling waves. The ship remained motionless in spite of the captain expecting some kind of rocking from one side to another, alas nothing of that sort happened. Gabriel’s came to a conclusion that he was the only one experiencing such a sight since neither Jesse nor Amelie reported to him. He muttered to himself, wondering back to the beginning of the day where he made sure that he received sleep from the night before as well as was well fed by the cook’s virtuous meals. Everything seemed to be in place, then what was the issue?

“What sorcery must this be?” He asked himself before suddenly noticing some odd movement in the water. He could’ve sworn he noticed faint blue glow that contrasted with the dark waters. The man moved along the deck, following the odd stream as he reached about the middle of the vessel when the glow became brighter. It seemed to approach from the very bottom of the ocean the depth of which was a fearful thing to think about. Reyes felt discomfort as the unknown brought a great worry to him sometimes. Whatever it was there in the depth, he did not wish to find out. 

“What in the devil-” He couldn’t finish his sentence before suddenly the water soundlessly parted in a splash to expose a large glowing head that belonged to a creature only written in myths: a dragon. Gabriel’s body was thrown back by surprise, his eyes gaping in shock at the growing body right before the ship.  It seemed that the sudden blue sea serpent was larger than Death Blossom, hell, like five Death Blossoms aligned together. The captain felt his bottom jaw part from the top, throat dry from fear of what this vision was.  He quickly looked around, noticing both Widow and McCree paying no attention to what Gabriel was seeing. What in the heaven was going on?

The glowing dragon simply watched with its stunningly intelligent eyes as Gabriel was an ant to it and his ship a snack if he so wished to make it perish.  Reyes forced himself to somehow calm down and hide his mixed feelings at the back of his mind as he slowly straightened up from his tilted position and tried to push a few words out. 

“What do you want?” He asked quietly, noticing the monster’s head tilt slightly as if he could understand the human tongue. No answer followed, only another invasion of wind from the south before the dragon turn its body and dove back into the water. Gabriel stood there for a second, not comprehending the events of the past second; he then sharply pulled toward the edge, gazing down at the water to find nothing but calmness again. As if nothing happened, everything returned to its former silence, except the moon was no longer orange this time but white and pale as it always used to be. 

It was a sign. 

 

* * *

 

“A dragon? Captain, are you sure you were sober?” Angela smirked; this odd tale from Gabriel was nothing that she expected. A bloody battle with a victory, which any pirate would be proud of, seemed like a perfect match for Reyes, alas he spoke of something completely opposite and unreal. 

“As sober as a morning sparrow, madam.” Gabriel shrugged and poured himself more tea this time. The opportunity to drink the tempting brew was a mistake to pass by, thus he now lost himself in the peaceful aroma. “It seemed I was chosen by Neptune, though I have no explanation nor evidence. Since then, I never saw the serpent again, but I would be shocked if he comes back.

“My, I wish I was there.” Lucio commented, clearly fascinated by Gabriel’s story. The pirate didn’t look like a liar, thus they had all means to believe him, even though it all seemed strange. Then again, ocean hid many strange things that sailors spoke about, and the fact that it wasn’t a typical siren or Kraken rose more interest. 

“One day perhaps, one day.” Angela smiled, leaning back as she was now thinking of the next thing to ask the pirate about. The way he spoke, so passionately about sailing, truly moved her and attracted to listen for more. Ah, if only he stayed for a week, though she was sure even that wouldn’t be enough to get over all the tales this man had in store. The blonde hummed, asking for attention as she moved closer and opening her mouth to begin a new string of a friendly interrogation, alas, she was suddenly interrupted by a yell outside. Everyone turned their heads to the source in unison and noticed a man running toward the port, waving his hands as he struggled to get the attention of the others nearby. 

“It’s here! It’s here! The Rat has come, the demon!” He screamed like a madman, stumbling on a rock as he tried to get a view of the shore. Gabriel took a second to process the man’s words before he sharply stood up, his hand automatically pressing against the firm handle of his rapier. The present with him exchanged a few worried looks before Angela rose, her eyes never leaving the pirate. 

“The Rat? Captain, mind an explanation?”

“Have you ever heard of a demon whose thirst for blood and broken ships reached every continent?” Reyes turned his head as he noticed the trio giving no sign of knowing whom the pirate was referring to. The man took a deep breath and gently pushed his chair in a sign that it was best to bring their fine little gathering to a close. 

“Who is it?” Mei’s quivering voice gave out her worry as she fixed her glasses that managed to slide down in their own artificial fear. 

“Captain Jamison Fawkes, also known as the infamous Junkrat.” 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two Infamous meet in one place. The ravens croak of misfortune.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is gaining a lot of support. I must thank the people that encourage and get inspired by it. I truly appreciate the warm welcome.

 

_Another devil comes from fire’s open jaws,_

_The one that has no tolerance for royal laws,_

_He sails through the storm with madness in his eyes,_

_His right-hand man laughing at the distant pleading cries._

_The ships of elegance soon turn to ash as they sink deep,_

_The former noble crew fed to wolves like useless sheep._

_The captain swings his wooden leg from side to side,_

_Spins Misfortune’s wheel with daggers sharp and wide._

_Why don’t you doze, my dear lass, why don’t you fret?_

_The deadly Junkrat should be your soul’s threat._

_Close your eyes, I beg you, you must sleep,_

_Or else the  monster will leave you in a bloody heap._

  


**III**

**Rúnatal Óðins Rune Song**

 

The Rat was a savage vessel.  No rogue waves could tame that ship as it hopped from one edge to another, chasing its prey even when Neptune was most furious. There was nothing that could keep the captain from reaching the target he had set for himself and the high expectations from the crew. When the Rat hunted, even the sea creatures tried their best to find the ocean’s bottom as their safe haven.

Jamison was known for his reckless last-moment decisions, especially when he saw a ship fat with treasures through his golden spyglass that was most certainly robbed from one of those fine royal vessels. His preferred targets were always the intimidating man-o-wars that glided through the cold waters surrounding the British borders. He usually scouted for the ships there, taking a break in a small port in Ireland, gathering supplies, before he was out and at it again.

The Captain knew no mercy. The ruthless pirates took no prisoners and usually enjoyed watching the most valuable members of the taken ship walking the plank with heavy stones tied around their necks. Then, by their own wicked tradition, the vessel was burned after Fawkes searched the captain’s quarters for any papers that could be of value; thus earning his nickname of Junkrat since he collected the things everyone on the continents wished to know about. The dull scorched papers, that the captain usually stuffed in the large pockets of the crimson coat he wore over his shoulders, often held great secrets deep within. Some of them spoke about trading routes, others held letters from the Queen and locations of various shipments that Fawkes took interest in. That is how he also discovered a large bounty placed on his head since one of the former vessels he had destroyed was tasked with a distribution of the wanted posters.

“Ye seein’ this, mate?” Jamison waved the announcement into his first mate’s face the lower half of which was hidden under a thick cloth of a black bandana. The brute only huffed as his small dark eyes scanned the paper soaked in salt water, ink already began to seep downward, forcing the well-made sketch of Junkrat’s face distort significantly.  “That’s not enough!” He continued to complain as the three hundred thousand pounds and a Queen’s blessing didn’t meet the high mark he sat for himself. In his eyes, the captain was worth a million if not more; alas, it seemed like the Crown knew how hard it would be to capture him, thus hope chose to leave them after all.

When Nassau finally appeared in their view, one of the Rat’s crew members nearly jumped over the edge as they yelled for land . The lads were hunting for four months without stepping their naked feet onto the stable ground, and even if their captain considered such time too short, he had no desire to torture his men.  Besides, after one of their successful raids on a royal man-o-war, Jamison held something of great importance in the inside pocket of his coat that he wished to address to another captain whose ship was fortunately already at bay.

Fawkes whistled, spitting orders from left to right while his men began to glide around the vessel as they knew the slowing routine very well. Ease the sails, watch the stream, hide the canons, don’t trip over the bomb crate, drop anchor, let the captain give his mighty speech, lower the boats for rowing to the beach, run and kiss the earth; all of it was branded into the minds of the fellow pirates, thus soon the Rat was rocking softly at the blue waters of the port. The citizens on the other side of the railing began to speed their paces as they saw the infamous vessel board next to the formerly introduced Death Blossom; new panic arose as the people weren’t sure why suddenly the most feared and wanted captains appeared in one place at the same time. Usually,  the Four Infamous were only seen separately and only passing in the distance or  coming to stock up on supplies before vanishing into the orange horizon.  It was alarming since Jamison and Gabriel were never fond of each other , thus causing conflict during a peaceful evening.

“Heh, look at ‘em run for a drink.” Junkrat’s shark-like grin shined in the early sun as he limped away from the ship’s boats that situated along the shore, looking back to gaze upon his most valued treasure. “Now look at her. Ahh, what a beauty!” He turned, pushing his hands into his sides with his chest full of pride. The Rat knew a lot of battles, thus barring a few scars along her hull that the captain decided to never patch up since it added more beauty to the vessel. The beak of the ship had to be restored several times since the enemies had an odd habit of blowing the figurehead with their canon first before trying to damage the ship in general. Jamison found it a great offence, making vengeance so sweet that his teeth vibrated with pain as he watched his canon devastate the fragile culprits. Now, a new accessory in a form of an elegant woman with shark-like teeth decorated the front of the Rat, grinning at the horizon as she held a large bomb in her  beautifully carved and painted hands.  Jamison spent a fortune on the ace that defined his ship, of course barely feeling the need for a budget since treasures filled below deck quarters as well as his own.

The man’s ringed hand ran over his messy dirty-blond locks the ends of which reminded of a dulling fireplace after hours of burning. His face was covered in a thin layer of dust as well as dirt peeking through the wide open edges of his soot-smothered shirt that now could only recall the good days of a clean white condition. Roadhog reminded him yet again that the captain needed a bath, but he simply waved his hand at the brute dismissively.

“It’s a part of me style.” Fawkes giggled, the high-pitched voice spreading across the close radius and attracting a few wondering gazes of the ladies that recognized the explosion-crazed maniac. The women smiled as they caught the amber eyes scanning them for a brief moment before the captain’s attention vanished, causing a few distressed noises sent his way.

“Idiot.” Came a deep growl from under the mask, eyes rolling at the captain’s direction as his first mate was sick and tired of the other being a constant trouble. Since Mako joined the Rat’s crew as Junkrat’s bodyguard, the man saw nothing but mayhem dealt both on land and in the sea. Not that he complained, killing someone was a pleasant start for any day, but surely not risking his own life every time Jamison gave out a command to attack a much bigger hostile ship. There were endless close calls that almost sent the Rat to the bottom of the ocean with all its treasured possessions, but only a miracle always seemed to save them. Roadhog was skeptical of course, sunshine always ends at some points, and if Junkrat didn’t stop challenging the Royal Navy’s most powerful, soon he would find himself gazing at the cold waters from another angle.

“Eh? C’mon mate, cheer up will ye?” The captain laughed and began to manage his way along the creaking planks of the bridge that lead to the town. His back was hunched under the weight of a large wooden wheel that served as a nest for daggers and a few sabers. The blades were hidden within the cunning device while the handles were easy to grab onto and pull out when needed. It even spun with a light tug when the man needed a certain weapon to use for special circumstances. When he lost his right hand to one stubborn boatswain, Jamison ordered for it to be replaced with a special artificial socket that would let him insert one of the hilts from the wheel and immediately have a sword extension. It was one of his most deadly trick cards that sent the right emotion to his enemies: fear. Thus, after the successful boardings and kills, the proud mechanism was titled Wheel of Misfortune and only left the captain’s back during the times of rest. Of course, he had to pay a price of a heavy burden that spread back pain, but it was small compared to the powerful influence it spread.

“I’ll cheer up when I stop smelling burning from you.” Roadhog spat, swinging his small anchor over his shoulder, the chain hitting his large side as he walked behind the limping captain. “Go find a tavern and don’t come out until you’re clean.”

“Tsk, fine.” Jamison grumbled, looking down at his hands that were covered in dirt, making the golden rings and bracelets loose their luxurious shine. Perhaps the first-mate was right, he had to present himself well to the rest of Nassau, especially the other captain that invaded it with his ghostly presence. The man chuckled to himself, exposing his perfect pearly whites in a dangerous grin. He was already planning a dynamic entrance into Gabriel’s view range, and if it demanded fireworks, he sure will make such happen.

“Jamison.” Mako’s voice tore the captain away from his explosive daydreaming, making him look up and ease his step when he noticed his first mate stop. A golden brow was raised in question as he wasn’t sure what the brute wanted. “Try to stay out of trouble.”

“Heh, I promise to be on me best behavior!” Fawkes exclaimed, pointing his finger to the sky as per the matter of fact, alas it seemed that Roadhog barely believed him. The familiar sparkle in the captain’s eyes was far too obvious for his first mate and he was having none of it. Sure, he was more than welcome to equal the English towns to the ground, but not those that served as a safe nest for so-called savages of this world.

“I said stay out of trouble.” Mako repeated, slower and more aggressively, knowing that he was the only one that Junkrat listened to, and additionally he had the power to resist the young captain if such need appeared. Jamison visibly fidgeted at the strict tone like a child being scolded by a parent; he gazed downward, sighing heavily as he knew that this was a battle he would never win.

“Alright, alright, cobber.” He threw his hand up in defeat; nonetheless, his grin returned a second later. “What are ya gonna do? Betcha hungry from the trip-”

“I’m staying back. Have your fun while I make sure your ship isn’t stolen.” The brute turned halfway, beginning to slowly make his way back to the boat that still had a few men occupying it, waiting to escort the first mate back to the Rat that played with the direct sun rays. His farewell was a strong enough statement to bring a former memory into the captain’s mind, making him shift in discomfort, his eyes looking downward at his prosthetic leg. He lost it when he was chasing a damned thief that managed to hook his ship away with a small self-made crew; the culprit was a cunning one, thus put up a great fight, leaving Junkrat no choice but to sacrifice a good part of himself in order to reclaim dominance over his own ship. That was a glorious victory that cost Jamison a week in bed with fewer; nevertheless he got his jewel back .

The captain huffed watching Roadhog’s tattooed back soon vanish on his way to the ship before spinning around and speeding his lame step toward the town. The amber eyes turned golden in the meeting sun, the messy blond locks swaying in the wind and exposing a few bald spots that were left as scars from explosions to the man’s former perfect chevelure. Not that he complained much; blowing vessels and people were one of his most adored activities and he would never give that up.

A strong leather belt that stretched around his strong thin hips shifted slightly under the weight of several heavy flint bombs that waited to be called to duty. It seemed that they had to wait, though, the painted toothy smiles over their surface displeased with Roadhog’s comment on ceasing any chaotic decisions for the time being. It was annoying, but Jamison had to agree that blowing up a nearby fragile building wasn’t a wise decision considering that he had to speak to Captain Reyes on a surprisingly friendly wave. Usually, the Rat’s careless leader would never pass a chance to cross blades with another infamous pirate, but by Neptune’s will, the man had to retain his impulsive desire to make everything turn to ashes.

When a tavern of _Three Liars_ appeared in the man’s view, his lips spread into a devilishly striking grin as he remembered that it was one of the first places he equaled with earth the first time he visited Nassau. That time his opponent was some novice captain that barely could control his own crew, thus giving Junkrat a perfect opportunity to gain more men for the Rat as well as release a few laughing bombs into the terrified faces. Fawkes hummed at the memory as he stopped at the poorly painted doors of the facility, biting his lower lip as he felt a wave of pleasant warmth spreading in his chest. Having power over someone else, placing paranoia into their hearts, and drying their throats with fear was the peak of ecstasy any known pirate knew, apart from the obvious other pleasant activities of course.

The doors pushed open, the smell of alcohol and dirt filling Junkrat’s expanding nostrils as he sucked in a breath. He noticed a few of his men already hovering over a few waitresses, their tongues swinging over the edges of their lips like hungry wolves that spotted a delicious prey. Jamison chuckled, making his way to the wooden counter where a dark-haired woman met him with widened eyes. The captain leaned his false elbow against a rather dusty surface, nodding his chin toward a set of stairs that lead upward into the possible room choices.

“Spare bed present?” He asked in a short demanding tone, his eyes running over the frightened face features of the young woman, clearly showing no interest in her rather sweet-looking curves. The girl clearly tried to hook a few pirates onto her side, desperate judging by how many buttons she purposely missed to push through the thin loops over the edges of her shirt.

“T-there is one for you, sir…” The woman pushed a single black lock behind her ear, biting her lower lip unprofessionally as she failed to tempt the captain with her novice appearance.  “It’s at the very end of the hallway on the left, I can escort you there-”

“What’s yer name, sweetheart.”  Junkrat suddenly asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity while lips spreading into a signature shark-grin, indicating that he was beginning his famous game of teasing and breaking.

“Elizabeth, s-sir.” The woman replied, clearly perplexed by a sudden question, yet hope arose in her chest as she considered that her lame hook did work on the captain.

“Elizabeth? My, oh my, that's an English name. Are ya from London?”

“N-no sir. M-my father was, though. He served under the Queen-” She was cut off my Jamison’s grin widening as he leaned even closer, straightening upward just a little and gaining a few inches in his still-to-be-discovered height. The woman shifted uncomfortable, nonetheless using her best knowledge of acting around a possible interest as she leaned in as well.

“And what does a high-class like ya doin’ ‘ere?” Fawkes was inches away from the woman’s face, the devilish beam never leaving his face while his eyes spat madness onto the invisible pages that wrote history about him every time he spoke.

“Well...my father, he was killed.” The girl whispered, voice quivering.

“Ya know by whom?” Junkat’s healthy hand came upward to cup the pale cheek, smearing a dirt over her skin with his thumb. The woman shivered, not sure where this was going, but obediently remained in her place, mesmerized by burning amber staring into her ocean-blue.

“I’ll tell ye.” Jamison chuckled and pulled the girl sharply forward, so that his lips were next to her ear, his accent becoming heavier as his voice dropped to a whisper. “Captain Jamison Fawkes, also known as the man that’s standin’ before you.” He let the girl go, making her gasp in shock and hit her back against the shelves of keys and bottles behind her. She gaped at the man that broke into a hysterical maniacal laughter that filled the room, making the present bunch become quiet as his voice echoed throughout. His men already knew their captain’s behavior, so they were easily spotted in the crowd of the rest by their widened grins. Junkrat took a few minutes, feeling tears staining his eyes as he hasn’t laughed like this since he cut off a head of some royal sailor and placed it as an accessory on the Rat’s mast.

“Foolish wench.” Jamison spat out with disgust filling his eyes when he grabbed the key from the woman’s trembling hand, nodding toward her loose shirt. “And cover yer tits before one of my sharks rips you apart.” He nodded toward a small group of his men that gave the Elizabeth a slow nod, slamming their teeth together  a few times to live up to the nickname their captain just gave them. The girl swallowed a knot in her throat and hurried to button her shirt up with her shaking fingers, causing the men to blow up in a new wave of laughter. Fawkes smirked, shaking his head as he carefully made his way upstairs and into the issued room that was to be his quarters for the next days, depending how long he truly planned to stay. The man shut the door with his foot, cursing to himself as he commented about the women on this island being loose idiots, and dropping the Wheel of Misfortune onto the bed. He straightened his back, feeling almost every joint pop and spread a pleasant feeling over his spine. It was nice standing in his full height, feeling taller than the mountain tops. Jamison was taller compared to the rest of the Rat’s crew, with the exception of Mako of course; that man was a peak of his own divine nature. Sadly the wheel over his back didn’t let Junkrat gaze at most men from the royal sky level, and yet everyone knew that no matter how tall the pirate was, he was as dangerous nonetheless.

He searched the pockets of his crimson coat, finding a few papers that he scanned over quickly before finding the right one. The bloody wax that represented the Crown’s coat of arms was cut in half since the elegant envelope was popped open. A few wrinkled creases appearing on the former smooth surface after the letter had felt a few tugs and crumbling throughout its journey. The man pulled out the contents, a small piece of paper gently closed into four folds and read through the cursive formed sentences clearly created by a woman’s hand. It was signed by an unknown individual named Lena Oxton and directed to some nameless individual.

“Now what do the pampered lapdogs want with us, mate?” Junkrat hummed to himself, eyes wandering off to the open window that distributed fresh warm air over the small bedroom. The man sighed, noticing a lack of curtains that could block away possible insects that might visit him by night, not that he cared much, but not many known to him enjoyed a feeling of something crawling over their flesh in their sleep. The note soon was placed back into the envelope and hidden in the former pocket before Junkrat decided to find the bathing chambers and fulfill Roadhog’s favor. Of course, he could simply go and swim in the ocean, but a thought of a warm bath in a private room was much more inviting.

Jamison pushed the Wheel under the bed as best he could before appearing downstairs where his men began singing songs, already tipsy from the large amount of whiskey, bourbon, rum, and whatever else made its way into their system. His eyes found the erstwhile dark-haired woman that was occupied with cleaning the desk , her eyes cast downward. The captain rolled his eyes and wobbled over to her, causing the poor girl jump in surprise as she did not expect the pirate to be back so soon.

“Y-yes, sir?” Elizabeth’s voice betrayed her by shaking slightly, blue eyes glued to a suddenly tall captain.

“Ye have a bath in ‘ere somewhere? I’ve got a date soon.” Junkrat smirked and cocked his head to the side, awaiting the girl to give him a positive answer.

 

* * *

The odd freak out seemed to continue as the people further in the town began to shift toward their homes. It was barely afternoon and so many things have already made an appearance that caused an unpleasant wave of consequences. Old ladies passing the clinic complained that they could not enjoy a God given day after the storm without something ruining it. The orange sails in the distance that most observed were lowered, indicating that soon another wave of pirates would invade Nassau and make more trouble than usual since the bunch was from the Rat.

Gabriel took a deep breath; he long abandoned his alerted state, dropping his hand from the handle of his rapier and now sitting with a cup in his hand. The desire to drink alcohol vanished from his chest as now his mind was occupied with wonder for reasons why Jamison was here.

Angela sat next to him after sending Mei and Lucio inside, asking them to make sure that doors all back doors were locked just in case. Thieves in town always meant one obvious thing and losing a recent shipment of medicaments was not a good alternative to the presented day. One leg crossed over another as the woman leaned back in her chair, watching the distant port as best as it could be seen through thick trees and other buildings. She heard of the name somewhere before but never met this man face to face, and judging by how tense the captain next to her became, it was for the best. The light breeze played with her soft golden locks as she let the silence stretch just a little longer before she decided to instigate the conversation first.

“What are you going to do?

“I don’t know.” It was an honest answer from the leader of Death Blossom. He wasn’t sure if Jamison was here to summon him for a fair fight, or simply passing by. A tight feeling in his gut told him that their meeting wasn’t just a misfortunate coincidence, it was something more. “I will find out soon, but I ask you to stay back and hide in case things get...heated.” Gabriel sighed as he lifted himself from the chair, frock’s ends swinging to straighten themselves up.

“I shan’t be leaving my hospital.” Ziegler reassured with a smile, although a part of her wished to see who this oh-so-feared Junkrat was. She was sure that he was as easy to spot as Gabriel, as well as truly not so intimidating, well, for Angela that is.

“That is a wise decision, Miss Ziegler. I believe I better take my leave before he decided to come here and discover us.” He crossed his arms over his broad chest, earning a low chuckle from the woman as she soon was standing parallel to him.

“Discover us? What are you implying, captain?” A giggle followed, thin elegant lips spread into a mischievous smile. Angela played with the man a little, watching how his expression immediately changed as he realized what the woman was hinting toward. He rolled his eyes back theatrically and smirked as he turned to face her.

“A modest woman with such a mind, watch yourself, doctor.” He was practically hovering over the medic, his eyes glued to hers in a moment of silence. A smile softly fell from the woman’s lips and she shifted away from the pirate, huffing to herself as she failed at her own game. Well, she will get back to him one day.

“Khm, well, I’m glad you could make it today. Shame that you couldn’t tell us more of your odd adventures.” She regained her confidence, pushing hesitation far away as her arm laced around his strong bicep, fingers pressing slightly against the tight muscle. Gabriel noticed the gesture that signaled him to walk toward the small gate at the corner of the garden that was the fast way out. He smirked as he felt fingers tightening around him, a clear indication that Angela wasn’t fond of the idea of him leaving, alas she knew that safety was a top priority.

“We will have time, later, that is.” Gabriel promised, not sure how much later he meant since after Death Blossom departs from Nassau in a day, he would most likely take a year to come back if not more.

“I will take a note of that.” Ziegler smirked and gave the captain’s arm another squeeze before letting go as the man already unlocked the small hook of the gate and with a short nod, disappeared into the streets. The medic’s eyes followed him until she could see him no more, closing the entrance afterward and making sure the lock was hidden away in a vine of green leaves. Then, she turned to meet Mei’s worried eyes behind the thick lenses of her glasses, later joined by Lucio.

“Do you think the town will burn tonight?” The herbalist questioned, cocking his head to the side, his funny dreadlocks falling to the right.  

“We’ll be alright.” Angela reassured, although at the back of her had she doubted her own words. Were they truly safe? Will Gabriel protect her and the others from whatever this other pirate had in store? Time could not go quicker, thus the woman came to a quick and perhaps the most foolish decision. “Mei, lock the front door.”

“What?” The eastern woman blinked confusedly as she watched the doctor walk inside the house and make her way upstairs. “Angela where are you going?”

“After the captain of course, where else?” Ziegler chuckled in response, pulling on an outfit much opposite of what she often wore. With a swift shift from her white dress, the woman changed into black leather breeches with high waist, a loose blue blouse that also came with a black waist corset that was decorated with intricate flower pattern of a golden hue. Her hair remained in the formation she created before Gabriel showed up. The silky sleeves were slightly bigger, creating freedom of movement and access for the wind to gently blow through the fabric, thus leaving a fresh feeling against the woman’s tender skin. High  black knee boots curved against her legs as she stepped from side to side, shifting her weight, to see if they were comfortable to run in.

“Angela you know it’s dangerous!” Lucio called after as he and Mei watched the medic exit through the front door, wearing nothing that they were used to. It was almost as if she was a pirate in that moment with her rebellious clothing. Zielger looked over her shoulder briefly and smiled back at her concerned helpers.

“I know.” She chuckled before disappearing into the rays of Nassau’s growing day.

* * *

 

**Star of the County Down from AC: Black Flag**

 

The tricorn over Junkrat’s hat provided the perfect angle of shade as it fought against the sun. His golden hair glowing brighter as it finally forgot about the soot and dust it was covered in before the merciful bath took it away. His face showed a few sharp angled along his jaw and cheekbones that the former dirt kept hidden away from curious eyes. Of course to him being so clean was unnatural, as if he lost a part of himself; now he felt like a noble rather than an explosive crazed  pirate. Then again, receiving a good punch  from his first mate wasn’t in his plans, as well as meeting up with another captain on this island. First impressions were important, although Jamison would’ve picked a place other than this; perhaps  Tortuga the jungles of which provided a perfect place for the inhabitants to create a black market with a guarantee of not being discovered.

The man limped forward, his right hand swinging from side to side as a short blade was attached to it, cutting the thin air before its owner with a warning of mercilessness. A few passing by threw their bodies away from Junkrat in fear of the dagger, thus summoning a loud cackle from the pirate as he found it amusing how easy it was to scare the commoners. Nassau was a fearful little town that hoped to be under the protection of any pirate that visited. Protection came with power though; some pirates loved to fight for domination on some neutral islands before converting them into a specific territory. While others became heroes of some unnecessary land piece, Junkrat didn’t waste his time and made sure his ship let everyone know with its appearance that the citizens should expect both a villain and a hero depending on their welcome. The first time he came here, the citizens treated him and his crew rather ill, thus they paid by watching most of their town burn. So far, the captain hoped that the people learned their lesson and didn’t provoke him with insults and rocks flying into his men’s heads.

The market was filled with riches upon the captain’s arrival. The burning amber of a gaze scanned each shelf and table, learning the patterns the people motioned their hands, inviting for one or another to purchase something. Luxurious silks, half of which were fake, rested against the arms of walking merchants, magnifying with their bright colors. The ladies usually swarmed all over the new cloth that was brought from afar and only those who lived here long enough could recognize a scam. Next came exotic fruits that men were proud of as their ships sailed a long way to get whatever it is they now tried to save from swarming flies. It was amusing to watch them speak highly of their product while viciously swatting a self-made fan from side to side, managing to maintain eye contact somehow. The rest of the merchandise was mostly seafood and small details like dull weapons and lame gunpowder that were likely already soaked in water after the storm.

Jamison decided to take a seat at a local tavern that usually hosted outside when the weather was perfect. Here, in the center of the town, everything was different instead of the outer circle. There was loud music, wild dancers, and laughter that spread over the hidden alleyways, awakening the still slumbering old and young.  A few drunken sailors began mumbling songs before a crowd joined to listen and help out with an upcoming verse.  The pirate smirked, noticing a few of his own crew inch close to the singer and hum the words before joining in. A few dancers moved on away from their group to pick up the beat of the floating music and spinning with a few hops as the began to entertain the present. The silk that the girls held in their arms became loose and toyed with the cutting breeze, expanding the cloth as it floated along the moving bodies, gliding softly against the outstretched arms of the curious sailors that were mesmerized by a sudden show. This was the life of this town when there was no illness plaguing the streets  or some bandits crushing the dreams of peace; it was how people survived after storms and tragedies: dancing and singing as they recovered from the long nights of screams. If only it continued forever, frozen in this small beautiful moment, forgetting about all the evil Pandora’s box unleashed onto this world.

Junkrat could indulge into this second for days and weeks if not a sudden heavy hand pressed against his lean shoulder. The captain turned his head to the side slowly, still under the influence of the celebration.  His grin fell as he noticed a pair of honey-brown eyes watching him with a dark expression, dropping hints that his presence was not welcomed by one man in particular.

“What do you want?” Gabriel’s voice failed to hide the hostile tone. He wasn’t fond of being pulled away from a nice morning conversation with a rather attractive lady for the sake of another pirate. Anywhere Junkrat went, death and chaos followed; if Gabriel had to be the one stopping him before such happened, might as well just confront him right here where he seemed most vulnerable. The captain of the Rat cracked a smile in response, slowly shaking his head as he elevated his body away from his seat, swatting the other man’s hand away from his shoulder.

“Oi, don’t attract attention, cobber. I ain’t here for a fight.” The man smirked, noticing Reyes scan his appearance with surprise passing in his dark gaze.  The captain of Death Blossom found his rather dumbfounded since this was the first time he saw Jamison in such a clean state. Hell, there was barely any dirt on him, even the shirt seemed to be new. The man could clearly see a few tattoos spreading over the pirate’s chest, although not sure what picture the ink painted. The golden locks were slicked back under the maroon tricorn instead of their usual crazed appearance Gabriel remembered from previous encounters and the wanted posters that usually were glued over his own. It seemed the Crown wanted Junkrat more than any of the other Infamous for many reasons, especially the theft of the most divine and valuable crown. Reyes still wondered how Jamison could pull that off only with one other person: his first mate. Nonetheless, here he was now, looking at Gabriel with his signature predatory grin.  The pirate knew that the other had something to say, thus he stepped aside, throwing his hand to lazily gesture toward the free empty streets where the crowd would not bother both men. Fawkes nodded in agreement as he was glad his hint was understood clearly before straightening up in his full height, that turned out to be greater than Gabriel’s, and limping his way through the curious citizens. The people turned their heads, holding a long wandering gaze over the two pirate captains, not sure if they should be concerned about the city’s future.

Once a hollow street was reached, Fawkes leaned his back against a nearby building, nodding for Gabriel to join him in the shade so that they didn’t seem suspicious. Of course, it was a treacherous idea since most of Nassau knew the captains’ faces and could easily come to a conclusion that the two were plotting a massive massacre, but what could the citizens do? Only wait for the outcome.

“So?” Reyes seemed impatient as he paced from side to side, earning only a chuckle from the taller man. Jamison whistled to get his full attention and pulled out the former envelope he examined in his room earlier today.  Gabriel ceased his step, his eyes freezing on the broken royal seal, then moving his gaze slowly toward Junkrat whose face lost the silly smile and now read tension. The pirate slowly reached out and snatched the letter before regarding its contents; eyes ran across the well-written lines, devouring each word carefully as if Gabriel was afraid to skip something. Then, his heart dropped into the pit of his stomach as he noticed the name in the signature; it was someone painfully familiar.

“Where did you get this?” Reyes spoke slowly afraid to scare Jamison away as this man always knew too much for his own good; although right now his mind’s inventory was a truly important piece to the emerged puzzle.

“Where d’ya think, mate? Royal Navy’s big o’ vessel. Caroline her name was, heh, sunk with her bones!” Jamie exclaimed proudly, nodding toward the letter. “Seems like it held an order, Reyes.”

“When did you acquire it?” More questions came as Gabriel felt a cold shiver run down his back. He wasn’t afraid of the Royal Navy of course, but one ship, in particular, did raise concern in his chest, It was a ship he ever wished to see in his life, a ship he promised to sink even if it cost him his life, and a ship the captain of which he despised with all his black heart.

“A week before I arrive ‘ere.” Junkrat nodded, his mind falling back the former days as he tried to calculate again to make sure he was right. “Aye, somethin’ like that.”

“Dammit.” Gabriel snarled and tore the letter in front of the man’s eyes, causing the cheeky grin of the blond pirate to drop again.

“Wha? Don’t tell me-”

“Didn’t you read it? It was an order for the elite hunt.” Reyes cut off with a sharp exhale. “That means all your precious prays are going home so that the higher ranked vessels had the clear water.”

“Ya mean those specialized headhunters? Naw, ya gotta be jokin’. “ Jamison’s eyes widened as he shifted his weight onto his prosthetic leg, almost balancing on it.

“I wish I was, alas tis true.” Gabriel turned away from the other pirate, eyes scanning the clear horizon of the ocean before. It was as if he was trying to see something from the thick fog in the distance, perhaps a ship with a significant flag or a figurehead that would signal the end of peace. Thankfully, nothing came into view.

“Whaddaya suggest?” Jamie blinked, looking from side to side as he pushed away from the buildings and took the parallel near Reyes.

“You need to leave. Stock up on supplies like you always do.” Gabriel hummed, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. His waistcoat felt tight around his torso, the tension pressuring onto his lungs as he wasn’t sure how to act now. “You got the message a week ago, which means that it has been on board for quite a while. I’m sure the elites are on their way here. They may be a week away, or perhaps will show up tomorrow night. Whatever it is, set full sail now.”

“And what are ya gonna do, cobber? Sit ‘ere and wait for yer demise?” Fawkes barked and spat his rising concern. “You can’t protect these people.”

“I know, but at least I can try to make the ship chase after me and bring it to an open sea battle. On land, there will be too many corpses.” The man sighed heavily, looking down at the curved noses of his boots. Everything was escalating so quickly as if Lady Fortune decided to play another of her wicked games only she enjoyed.

“Oi, ya know what I’m capable of mate, I can stay and-”

  
“That is exactly why I’m asking you to leave. Besides, if the Crown decided to release the elites it can only mean one thing.” Gabriel’s voice dropped to a whisper, his eyes finally finding the courage to meet Junkrat’s as both men knew the answer to the following question.

“What does it mean?”

“War.” Reyes added, shaking his head.

“Damn it, and ‘ere I thought me golden age could be peaceful.” Junkrat chuckled with a solemn smirk. Time was moving too fast; it had no tolerance for patience and let no captain rest in the arms of silence. Whoever stepped on a ship and sworn to sail the endless ocean was bound by blood to the rogue waves that followed and flowed against them. For a pirate, that contract dripped with dangers, thus failing to let anything slow down. The town’s music and dancing seemed so distant now that both pirates found out what was awaiting them in the near future. A war announcement from the Crown meant a war against the whole pirate race that kept growing by day; by far only two of the four infamous knew of this. How could Jamison and Reyes let the others know since the third one barely came by  the pirate hotspots and the fourth was but a myth?

“War means war. We have to fight for our place in this forsaken world. I’m not letting the royal scum bully us away from _our_ ocean.” Gabriel snarled, his tone possessively claiming the waters to himself and the other pirates that would die for the freedom they gained from Neptune’s gifts.

“War?” A third voice suddenly emerged from nowhere, causing the captains to snap their head into the evident direction. There, stood McCree with a puzzled expression splattered over his puzzled face while his arm was occupied by a light embrace of two soft hands that belonged to Angela. The woman was dressed differently to Gabriel’s surprise; she almost looked like a part of a pirate crew despite her opposite occupation. A new set of questions arose in the pirate’s mind, but he knew he wouldn’t have time to ask away since the situation was far more serious now and a task that fell into his hands wouldn’t let him and the others rest for a long time.

“Oi! I’ll explain!” Junkrat’s voice broke the silence as the dagger of his false hand was used as a finger, pointing at the medic in the company of the pirates. “After ye tell me your name, sweetheart.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nassau no longer feels safe as the news of an approaching powerful hunter elite spread all over town. The captains begin to make choices and prepare for whatever it is they have to face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy holidays to all of you, dears. I wish you all a pleasant delicious day. Here's a little treat to place onto your table today.

_ The clock is gone, the hunt begins, _

_ The sailing fools confess their sins,  _

_ The Widow’s web sticks to their skin,  _

_ Devours she their souls and their kin.  _

_ The Reaper and the Madman meet to search the dark,  _

_ Joined by the angel and the devil’s mark.  _

_ Must they unite with those at sea,  _

_ The ones from legends and a dead man’s plea. _

_ While they shall search, another ship approaches their bay,  _

_ Deciding who will dine tonight, and who will be the prey.  _

 

**IV**

**Homegrown by Haux**

 

The tall thin woman clothed in black stood at the edge of a building’s rooftop that was situated at the very top of the hill and overlooking the below town. It was a beautiful view to observe by dawn when people still dreamed of riches and castles in their sleep. The soft lime-colored sunrise began to gain brightness as the sun awakened, stretching its ray in a silent yawn of light that spread to illuminate the worrying ocean in the distance. It was a calming atmosphere as the sea wind blew across the pale face hidden in the shade of a tall tree that spread its green leaves over the roof of several homes. This spot offered an excellent nest for a killer, which Amelie accepted with no hesitation. It was ironic how in such a calm moment there was evil hiding behind the feather-like clouds, laughing along with Lady Fortune as they planned to bare a few mischiefs for the upcoming day. 

The Widow dove under the thick branches that forbid the rising sunlight to enter the green fortress, thus creating a dark warming setting in which the spider could not be seen.  The thin tails of the woman’s coat dragged softly behind her as she crouched and moved along the edge of the roof, looking over a few times as she tried to spot whatever it is she aimed for. The bottoms of her boots pressed firmly assuring the woman that there was no need to worry about losing balance as the pirate concentrated on her mission. 

She abandoned the town’s borders after Gabriel spoke to her in her room; there was no desire in staying in a small room that felt like a prison. Amelie was a free soul that wished to explore the wild side of Nassau instead of following the crowd into a tavern or searching for some kind of a cheap pleasure that she would forget the moment her footsteps onto the deck of Death Blossom. Being a quartermaster and a navigator was a high privilege for her, especially after the tragedies she had to experience before she became a part of the crew. So many innocent deaths she held in her hands, never letting go of one particular that she will fail to forgive herself. And thus, she will continue searching for those responsible, taking anonymous contracts in secret from Gabriel so that she could ensure that if she ever were to leave the bold ship, she could start a living of her own somewhere far away, on a soulless island where only birds awaken her early in the morning instead of shouting and gunfire.  

The opposite side of the house was reached in no time; it was now when Amelie realized just how big this place was. It was a mansion rather than the latter, with its own garden and even a pond in which a few exotic fish shined their tails, teasing the guests like mermaids in the sun. Amelie inhaled sharply, mesmerized by the toying colors for a moment before she regained her consciousness and glared downward.  There were voices coming out from the inside; two males and a female speaking of some business with a trading company. One of them spoke of Death Blossom that appeared in the harbor, cursing at it as if it was some curse that the native aristocrats despised to see in “their” town. 

Amelie grew up in the crowd of those dogs, never fond of their ways and ideologies that acted like a plague rather than salvation in the current world. She took pleasure from ripping their eyes out and watching how they bled choking on their own blood. When their lives left their useless pampered bodies, the Widow stood aside observing, smiling as she knew she eased off the world’s chokehold bit by bit. It would take years of work, but someday she will witness  the Crown crack in half and all the nobility kneel to those below that deserve and fight for their liberty both on land and sea. 

Soon, the woman emerged on the balcony, her silky white dress swaying in the gentle breeze. Her hair gathered up to expose the swan neck adorned in black pearls and welcoming bosom that lacked in cloth. Clearly, this woman was fishing for lust-soaked compliments of the men that surrounded her, nonetheless, this was the last time she would show her face in public. 

A short clicking sound came from the Widowmaker as she pushed her fingers under the cuff of her coat where a thin leather pouch held a small dagger-like dart. The blade was soaked in poison that a black market trader was proud of since by his words it was the venom of an ancient Egyptian recipe. To Amelie, it didn’t matter where is came from and who made it as long as it killed by an instant.  The French woman scanned the dart noticing a few pale streak of poison curling around the edges, smiling to herself as she reached under the side of her coat to retrieve a small white crossbow with golden spider-like patterns engraved into its sides. It was a wonderful custom work that the woman ordered for herself a while back. The weapon was quiet, effective, and easy to work with; most importantly it never failed to take out the target it was aiming for. Never. 

The crossbow was tilted as it tried to find the excellent angle to align with the woman’s head that stood just below the Widow’s position. Amelie smirked, playfully squinting one eye as to make sure that the horizontal alignment  was perfect before pulling the small trigger to release the loaded dart. It hissed through the air, breaking the gravity before it pierced the back of the noblewoman’s neck, summoning a loud yelp from her before she fell on her knees, coughing and screaming as best she could for help. Widow rolled her eyes and sat back for a moment, watching the life seep away from the twitching body; the poison sucked out any energy to shout, leaving the female wheeze on the balcony, hand clutching the pearl necklace that was cut with the blade of the dark and now scattered all around the woman. It was a pathetic view, but nonetheless breathtaking as it took pure skill and luck to paint such a work in one kill. For Widow every shot meant a kill, and every kill meant a new masterwork. 

“La imbécile.” Amelie chuckled and rose to her feet as the woman’s former company ran out to see what the screams meant followed by silence. A series of gasps followed as well as a call for help although both parties knew that it was too late. Gazes were sent upward to see if there was anyone on the roof, desperately trying to find a clue that would lead them to an explanation of why and who. However, everything was quiet, even the air was still.  The killer became a shadow and vanished within the thick branches of trees, leaving no trail as if she never stepped her foot onto the roof of the royal headquarters of Queen’s Overwatch. 

 

* * *

 

“So I’m walking, minding my own business, ya know? And then BAM, run into this beautiful goddess.” Jesse smirked as he peered over his tankard, sipping onto the last contents of the thick bitter liquid that he ordered from the bartender. It’s been a long time since he had a proper drink in a company of two pirate captains whose names were known so well even the Devil himself mentioned it. The young pirate’s eyes moved slowly to the blond-haired woman with a smile spreading over his lips. Angela took the compliment as expected: with a blush and a shy smile, tucking a rebelling lock behind her ear. It was odd seeing her dressed like this, it was as if she was a part of their team. Perhaps she was a natural in blending it? 

“How’d ya find us, cobber?” Junkrat smirked, narrowing one of his eyes as he looked attentively at Gabriel’s first mate. “Ya trying to steal the goddess from Reyes, eh?”

“No! Absolutely not!” McCree choked on his drink and shook his head so fiercely, the present thought it was ready to fall off with a whistle. The pirate swallowed and threw a careful gaze at the Reaper. The man sat back, his eyes dark and observant in the silence of patience; of course no remark of romance could touch him when the real deal was far more serious. Nonetheless, he exchanged a look with the giggling medic, smiling slightly before he gave Jesse a sign that it was time to shut up. 

“Miss Ziegler, I see you didn’t enjoy my company at the garden, so you decided to try out my fellow right-hand man?” Gabriel hinted, causing the woman’s cheeks spark with yet another wave of red. She looked away for a moment, feeling three pairs of eyes pause on her, waiting for a response. 

“Mister McCree found me on my way to you, Mister Reyes. I’m sorry, but my curiosity took a good hold of me.” She smiled, turning her head to the brown-haired pirate as she felt him tap on her shoulder.

“Call me Jesse, darlin’.” The man smirked and winked at the doctor; she rolled her eyes and nodded her head in a sign that she was to call him what he wished from now on. The pirate leaned back with a perfect pearly grin and nodded toward Gabriel as he wished to continue.

“I see.” Reyes nodded, looking toward Jamison that was clearly feeding on the amusement from the current situation. “You even dressed for the occasion.” He smirked and nodded toward the woman’s quite unusual clothing choice. Angela nodded and touched the collar of her shirt with a small smile spreading across her silky pink lips. 

“It’s my fencing wardrobe.” She explained, immediately summoning a few surprised looks from the pirates. 

“Fencing? My, you are full of surprises, Miss Ziegler.” Gabriel chuckled out loud before pressing his hand against his forehead. “So many secrets that I’m yet to discover.”

“She’s a treasure.” Jesse added with a warming gaze scattering over the timid woman, causing her to smile and send her eyes downward onto her lap, fingers grasping the free smooth cloth of her pants. 

“And what do pirates do, mate? They steal the treasure.” Junkrat snorted and nudge Gabriel a few times, summoning an unpleasant glare from the other. The captain of Death Blossom rolled his eyes and waved his hand for the two to finally stop with their hints. 

“As much as I wish to continue this banter, Fawkes, we are yet to inform Jesse about it so he can spread the word.”  Gabriel sighed and leaned closer to the table, knowing that all ears were pressed into his radius now.

“Wha? Why me? What am I, a messenger?” McCree’s brows met over the bridge of his nose as the young man scoffed. Jamison smirked and looked toward Reyes that grunted in growing annoyance. 

“Well, you sure have a big mouth. Why don’t you put it to good use?” The captain arched his brow with a smirk, glad to see McCree shift in his seat uncomfortably as he wasn’t too fond of such odd statements. 

“Alright, alright. But are you sure you want to discuss it with her present?” The first mate nodded toward the curiously positioned Miss Ziegler that was surely expecting to take a part of  a thrilling pirate conversation. 

“Yes. I trust her, besides, this matter may concern her as well.” Gabriel caught the healer’s changing worried expression before he took a deep breath. “Jamison, explain.” 

“Listen now,” Fawkes perked up as if he was the starring guest of the conversation and his shining moment has finally occurred. “Me crew robbed a ship a week ago, in the captain’s room, I found a letter that was directed to good o’ British swine. Now, the deal is, mates, that the order in the letter told the ships to sail back to their main waters, which means, well,” Jamison paused as he stared into the distance for a moment, drawing out the tension slightly. “That whoever’s on the way ‘ere, is ill news. We’re being hunted by the elite and we gotta gather up, cause they want war.” 

“You’re kidding.” Jesse exclaimed, his eyes moving from one pirate to another as he wished for it to be just a trick, alas the captains wore serious looks, causing the first mate to sink into his chair with a loud sigh. “A war, hah, wonderful…”

“Oi, ya better start gathering yer crew before they get shanked in their beds.” Jamison suggested with a cocked brow, head tilting to gain a supporting nod from Gabriel. The young lad grumbled, not pleased with receiving orders from another captain, but it seemed like he had no choice to argue but get to work. With a sharp exhale, Jesse pushed away from the table; so much for a day to spend in a company of his new breathtaking friend. Alas, she seemed to be more interested in Jamison and Gabriel as well as the news of some war. 

“Where do ya wish to gather, captain?” McCree nodded toward Reyes who hummed in reply and scratched the over his beard thoughtfully. 

“East shore by sunset. Thank you, Jesse.” 

“Yes, sir.” The man smirked and tipped his hat at Angela after he caught her curious wondering gaze over his attire. Then, he was off outside on the mission to gather the rest of the Death Blossom’s bold crew. 

“Now, Miss-” Jamison turned his head to regard the woman, pausing as he wished to make sure her name sounded right off his tongue. “Angela?”

“Doctor Ziegler.” The woman corrected with a smile, straightening in her seat, her fingers interlacing with each other to form a ball on the table.  

“Ah, yes. Angela.” Fawkes smirked menacingly, summoning a pout from the woman as yet again she failed to convince another pirate to call her by her medical title. She took a deep breath, shoulders falling slightly as she finally accepted the fact that pirated never listened to the outsiders. “Yer clinic might be in danger, beautiful.” Junkrat added after a short pause, his former playfulness falling deep into the pit of oblivion as he wished to make a serious point across. The woman’s head perked up, eyes widening in sudden worry.  There was no way she could let her hospital die under the attack of whoever was coming. The thought of losing Mei and Lucio, the memories they shared, as well as all the lives have saved was unbearable. It only just occurred just how serious the situation became, forcing the healer to glance into Gabriel’s direction worriedly. The man only nodded, agreeing with the latter statements made by the blond captain; with a sigh, he tapped the empty tankard that he clutched in his hands, making a barely audible noise of annoyance. The Golden Age was blooming and spreading its fire across the seas and now there was a Royal Navy hunting for their heads. 

“What are we going to do?” The woman’s voice fainted, notes of her tone trembling as she was afraid of the consequences. “What will happen?”

“Yer best bet is to take Death Blossom far away from ‘ere.” Jamison’s answer directed toward Gabriel who only closed his eyes in silence. “Might as well take the woman with ya.”

“I’m not leaving my clinic!” Angela exclaimed sharply, slamming her elegant fist against the hard surface of the wooden table beneath her, attracting a few curious eyes from the rest of the present in the tavern.  She noticed eyes and looked to her lap timidly, embarrassed of her sudden outburst but nonetheless standing her ground. “I’m not leaving while others are burdened by suffering.” 

“Miss Angela, I’d hate t’break it down to ye, but war means victims. Ya can’t save everyone.” Jamison rolled his eyes, grumbling as he received a heavy look from the other captain sitting by his side. The male shifted in his seat, his prosthetic leg tapping onto the floor.  

“I might as well bloody try!” Ziegler cursed, glaring at Fawkes as the man arched his brow in a surprise of the woman’s sudden behavior. Damn, this was a feisty one, almost similar to the one that Junkrat locked in his dynamic burning heart. The man smirked and shook his head, getting up as he hit Gabriel’s shoulder a few times as a friendly gesture. 

“Good wind to ya then, Miss Ziegler.” The man teased with a spark in his amber eyes, head tilting to regard the other male at the table. “Reyes, I’ll be on me way to India. Rumors say that I’m closer to the Dragons there.” 

“You really think you can find them, Jamie?” Gabriel arched a curious brow, his eyes changing from Angela to the opening doors of the tavern where a few civilians have showed their tired faces. He regarded them for a moment, mind cast back to the memory of the vision he had before coming to Nassau. Was the Blue Serpent in the water a sign of the upcoming battle? Perhaps. 

“Tell me what can’t I find.” Fawkes smirked sheepishly and giggled as he mocked a bow for the two before storming out of the tavern with a whistling tune playing on his lips.  The remaining pair watched the captain before the swinging door pressed closed into the frame, exchanging a quick glance and a short smile as the blond captain was an amusing phenomenon. 

“Dragons?” Angela asked after a pause, her eyes lighting up with curiosity despite the great worry that circled in her chest like a cobra with exposed fangs and dripping poison. Her heart ached from the fear of the unknown; just who could be such an elite that even the two Infamous became concerned of?

“A story for another time.” Gabriel exhaled and pushed the mug away, elevating his body from the chair.  The woman followed his example, her eyes wandering off into the depth of the tavern as she wasn’t sure what to say.  Everything was rushing, spinning too quickly in the course of two days.  It seemed like just yesterday she was curing a simple cold of a town’s little boy, and now she was expecting dismembered bodies piling up at her doorstep, their skin branded with the Royal Crest. She shivered, feeling the chill run down her spine, sinking her soul into the depth of her body as if trying to hide it far away. 

“I hope you will have an opportunity to share it.” She muttered under her nose, suddenly afraid for Gabriel’s life as she didn’t wish for the captain to leave her company with his life lost to the gold-wearing sailors from the good old England. “Promise that no matter what happens, I will…I will touch your hand again.” She blurted out without realizing what she was speaking of; her body simply had a sudden impulse that forced her to reach out and wrap her fingers around the captain’s hand, pulling it upward as she wished for him to see and swear. Reyes was confused by the sudden scene, his eyes never leaving hers as he cupped her small hands with his free palm, giving it a short squeeze. He knew that from here it would be awhile before he would enjoy a cup of tea in the perfect garden in the back of the hospital, hear the angelic laughter, and take questions from Angela’s helpers as they listened to the captain speaking. Just as things became calmer after a week-long storm, a new rogue wind blew his direction, endangering his crew and well-being of the seas that already had enough of the endless battles that took place every minute. From dusk to dawn Gabriel watched ships sink after the royal canon formed holes in the opposing hull of fearless vessels that sailed under the black flag.

“You have my word.” Gabriel nodded, leaning forward to maintain a pause with a direct eye contact, his counterpart tensing from the decreased space between them. “I never break my promises.” 

 

* * *

 

“I saw your ship from the distance, I assume you brought ill news.” Amelie pushed back onto the chair that stood before a wide desk littered with maps and small jewelry. Her eyes watched the man that shut the doors quietly to separate the outside noise from his private quarters. “Now you’re leaving so fast? Pourquoi?”  A thin brow was arched as the woman’s feet found a comfortable position on the tabletop with a cross in the ankles. The counterpart sighed and limped his way toward his desk, pushing both of his hands to the edge of the desk, glaring at the woman gloomily. 

“This isn’t the first time ya sneak in ‘ere. Ya lucky you’re welcome aboard, mate.” Jamison rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he always disapproved of any guests showing up on his ship, especially in his quarters, without permission, yet Widowmaker never followed such a rule. This woman was in charge of her own fate, showing up anywhere she wished to, and seemingly only listening to Gabriel’s orders.  Hell, if she could, she would have her own ship one day that might as well join the tight circle of the Infamous. 

“So? What is it?” The woman cocked her head to the side, amused by the reactions she was pulling from the captain. Junkrat had nothing else to do but give up and with a theatrical sigh pull out the wretched letter from within his coat for the hundredth time, throwing it down onto the desk. 

“There. Read it.” He shrugged his shoulder, smirking as he caught the Widow’s displeased glance as she changed her sitting position in order to inspect the envelope. After a few silent moments, both pirates exchanged a quick glance of understanding as now it seemed like everyone knew what was going on. 

“You’re telling me that they sent someone?” Amelie narrowed her eyes, watching as now Jamison paced from one side of his quarters to another. Her eyes unwillingly caught a few shining sparks of treasures that overwhelmed the room, serving as mirrors to the lit oil lamps, illuminating the space more as if trying to demolish any shadow in the corners. Paintings and luxurious fabrics found a comforting spot in the corner by the thin window that exposed the outside world through the tinted glass. The woman wondered if Jamison was to sell most of those riches or give them to someone as a token of his sickening loyalty. It wasn’t a secret that Junkrat did have a lover somewhere in the foreign land, alas he never talked about it nor showed any kind of clue of how the mysterious beauty looked. He usually dismissed the conversations with some mischievous trick thanks to his cunning character, or simply laughed promising that one day the pirates will witness his dear significant other in person. 

“Aye. Seems like they sent the elite. Reyes calls it a war.” Junkrat nodded, approaching a tall cabinet that served as a nest for important documents and maps. The man searched a few drawers before he pulled out a large yellow scroll that had a story of its own based on its aged appearance. The pirate then spread it over his desk after pushing away the other papers that invaded the free space and hovered over it with a hum. 

“India?” Amelie smirked, intelligent eyes watching Jamison’s cheeks bloom with pink as he knew that what she suspected was true. The captain gave out a short nod and snatched the letter from her fingers after she was finished with it, shoving it into his inner pocket away from the light surrounding them. 

“That’s my course.” The man chuckled and pointed his finger at the desired continent. 

“Are you taking the dangerous route?” Amelie leaned closer to looked over the map, noticing that most markings were made around the spine of Africa, as well as the tip of its tail where the most deadly currents occurred. The French woman shook her head, humming as her eyes glided upward to meet Junkrat’s. “Mon Dieux, Fawkes.” 

“What? I’ve survived ya know!” The man exclaimed proudly. It was always hard to fight against the streams that tried to sink the ship and sent  it into the mouth of the bottomless ocean, but Jamison was known for his recklessness, thus with the cost of his mind, he managed to survive  wicked obstacles. Some say he could take on the Neptune himself and break his neck like a toothpick, but then again, fools that fear Fawkes twist their stories into tales most unbelievable. 

“Why are you so close to the continent on your way?” Amelie pointed at the most recent red mark that represented a line parallel along the coast of Africa evidently, Junkrat was avoiding the middle of the waters in the South of the Atlantic. 

“Whaddaya mean? I’m just enjoying the land…” Jamison’s voice would’ve seemed convincing to a stranger that knew nothing of sailing, but to Widow it was obvious that the man was nervous. 

“Liar.” Amelie smirked, lifting her body so that she could make her way around the table to Jamison’s side. “Are you avoiding the Cursed Islands, ami?”  The captain swallowed thickly as a cold shiver ran down his spine at the name of a location that escaped the woman’s lips. His amber eyes cast downward, losing its glow as he nodded in agreement. 

“Aye. Me ship will never go near that bloody place.” 

“Soon it should if you wish to find the Dragons.” The woman’s lips spread into a dark smile as she noticed the sudden look from Junkrat. 

“How’d ya-”

“Your desk is full of papers, Fawkes, especially with writings about the legends.”

“Woman, ya gonna earn a bomb between yer teeth  one day.” Junkrat snarled dangerously, his eyes sparkling with a desire to blow something up. He despised when others poked their noses in his matters even if ironically he was the bird flying into everyone’s business. The Widow only shrugged, making her way toward the shut doors that lead outside. 

“A word of advice is all, captain.” The tease in the silky voice made itself known as thin delicate fingers wrapped around the handle, twisting it to crack the door open slightly. “Mysteries enjoy silence. Myths hang out near curses.” Amelie added over her shoulder, slipping out of the door as she shut it behind her, vanishing off the ship just as quietly as she appeared. Junkrat was left standing at his desk, eyes glued to the door as he pondered on her words, realizing just how right the woman was. The captain sighed, flopping into the soft chair as he picked up a thin quill and dipped it into a small ink pot that stood nearby a large lit candle. He hummed, snatching a piece of blank paper from underneath the map and writing a few valuable words before he attached it to a book with a black hardcover. The captain then called one of his men, ordering for the package to be delivered to Gabriel before the Rat left the harbor and found its way into the depth of the horizon. 

“Might as well be useful before we meet again.” Junkrat smirked as he watched his messenger leave his quarters hastily, throwing his head back against his seat with a lingering exhale. “Sorry love, ya gotta wait a bit more for me. Yer captain got business to tend to.” He whispered, eyes falling shut after he glanced toward the pile of expensive silks and jewelry stocked for a very special delivery. 

 

* * *

 

“Lock your doors, hide in a place where a gunshot sounds like a distant cry of a seagull, and do not act bold. No one is a hero when they show off their insides to the world.” Gabriel warned as he stood next to Angela nearby her clinic. The woman was protesting along the way, saying she had to contribute to whatever was going to happen soon, especially if it meant that injuries will be involved. 

“I cannot let those people die!” She exclaimed, attracting attention of passing civilians. Lucio and Mei stood behind her, watching the scene between the medic and a pirate bloom. They exchanged a surprised look, still to be informed of the whole situation. 

“Miss Ziegler, I’m asking you to-”

“Doctor Ziegler!”

“ANGELA IF YOU DON’T LISTEN, YOU WILL DIE!” Gabriel’s voice suddenly snapped as he was sick of the woman speaking back to him like a broken record. It seemed liked walking her home was a bad idea after all, especially after he asked her if she wasn’t afraid to fight if such need arose. Now he was paying the price by fighting with her in a manner of an old married couple where the woman tried to win the argument with all her power, but Reyes wasn’t the man to bicker with. He was an experienced sailor, a pirate, and a captain with a few years of horrific experience that shaped him into who he was today. His personality usually took a road of tranquility, but if someone pushed his red buttons, the man was unpredictable and mercilessly cold. The doctors stared at him in awe as she didn’t expect such a sudden change in the man’s behavior it was as if he exploded like a volcano that slept for centuries. Of course, it offended her, but Angela said nothing as she knew it was for the best to leave the wounded tension alone and let the captain speak. 

“Mister Reyes.” She swallowed, her eyes focusing on the furious pirate that noticed that his rough tone was a mistake. The captain sighed and straightened up, turning his head to the side as he avoided her eyes. 

“My apologies. I simply wish you and your people no harm. Whatever England wishes with us, has nothing to do with you.”

“And I only wish to help, Gabriel.” Angela whispered, for the first time calling the man by his name with her eyes searching the ground. The captain looked over her, shaking his head as he stepped closer, causing the medic to slowly lift her head in confusion. 

“I have promised to tell you more tales. That promise could not be fulfilled if there’s no one to tell them to, don’t you think?” The man spoke quietly so that only Angela could hear him; the warm breath tickled her skin, making her lips part as she couldn’t take her eyes away from the captain.  He was handsome, she had to admit, too handsome. He was a rogue, a pirate that had thousands of lives slipping through his fingers like sand, but it only attracted the healer instead of repulsing her. Something deep within told her that she could trust Gabriel and his judgment, especially when she saw that fire burning in his eyes, telling her that he cared for her well-being. It was a mix of strange feelings Ziegler had to keep in check later, but now she could say nothing but nod. 

“Mister Reyes…”

“Cease that. Call me Gabriel. It sounds better, especially when you say it.” The man muttered with a smirk on his lips, the former playfulness returning, the anger long forgotten. The woman blushed and took a step away so that she could see him better. He was like a mountain blocking the exit of the clinic, making sure that the woman didn’t throw herself onto any miscalculated actions. 

“G-Gabriel...When are they going to be here?” Angela asked carefully, looking back at the pair behind her that answered with a silence confused glance. 

“Soon. I’ve mentioned before that they might be a few days away. Might as well just prepare now.” The man nodded as he noticed movement from the side of his eyes, turning his head to notice Amelie walking toward his direction with a soft smile on her lips. She noticed Gabriel’s gaze and gave him a short nod, which he returned a second after. When the woman was close enough, the man stepped aside to greet her and let her join him. 

“Gabriel.” Widow stopped at her heels, her eyes landing onto the other present,  searching Angela in particular. Both women stared at each other for a while before the French pirate  addressed Reyes. “It’s done.”

“You sure?” The captain cleared his throat, lowering his voice as he wished for the question to be private. Amelie smirked and reaching into the pocket of her leather trousers to retrieve a small black pearl she dropped into the pirate’s immediately extended palm. Gabriel searched it for a second, humming to himself as he was satisfied with a little gift from his quartermaster.  “No longer a threat, hm?”

“Indeed. She had a few companions, but they barely know what they’re doing.” Amelie chuckled, watching as the pearl vanished inside of the man’s coat as he hid it. Suddenly, both of them were interrupted by Angela’s cough that wished to summon their attention.

“What’s done?” The medic inquired as her eyes jumped from Gabriel to Amelie. “What are you talking about?”

“That is none of your concern, mademoiselle.” The Widow answered coldly, her arms thrown over her chest. “I’m Amelie Lacroix, the Quartermaster of Death Blossom.”

“Angela Ziegler, you’re standing in front of my clinic.” The blond woman huffed, she didn’t like the attitude this woman spoke to her; both barely knew each other and already it began on a rough note.  Widow looked upward, her eyes unamused as she read the large sign above indicating that indeed the hospital belonged to the woman.

“Ah, charmant.” Amelie replied with the same note in her voice, her eyes swimming toward the captain that only shook his head. 

“Jesse will join us soon. Has he informed you?” Gabriel noticed the tension between the two and chose to take the route of changing the subject both could understand and find good terms upon. 

“I found out myself.” Widow shrugged. “The whole town will know soon, so prepare for a visible shift in the mood.” 

“Aye, I've noticed.” Reyes remarked darkly, hinting that Amelie already started to spread the tension with her rather cold greeting directed toward Angela. The French woman said nothing and only smirked before her eyes caught a sailor hurrying toward their small company with something in his hands. The woman tapped Gabriel’s on his shoulder and nodded toward the direction she wished him to address. The man turned his head, arching his brow as the sudden guest approached him.  Judging by his attire, the man was from the Rat; oddly, the man was trying to catch his breath from excessive running as if he had something important for the captain. 

“Captain Reyes?” The man finally spoke, swallowing to let his dry throat work properly. 

“What do have for me?” The Reaper nodded and extended his arms to accept the delivery as the man offered it to him. He scanned the strange letter with a large smiling mug poorly drawn over the seal; clearly, it was from Junkrat himself. 

“Captain Fawkes fished for you to have it. He said it was important for you to look over the contents before you set sail.” The sailor added before finishing a farewell and disappearing on the road back to the beach.  Widow and Gabriel exchange a quick glance as they weren’t sure why Jamison decided to make such a sudden gift. The captain of Death Blossom hid the attached letter inside his coat before he looked over the book that dwelled underneath.

“ _ Myths of the Lingering _ ?” Reyes read the title as he gave Amelie a lasting gaze. The woman smirked and reached to take the book away from the man, her fingers running through the pages as she opened it.

“Mm, looks like the superstitious  bâtard decided to warn us about the paranormal in the sea.” She stopped the page on a picture of a giant squid-like creature with the large bold letter reading  _ Kraken  _ over it. The captain chuckled, noticing Junkrat’s handwriting over the free space on the pages, scanning a few as he clicked his tongue on the back of his teeth.

“I believe we have a few moments to indulge in whatever he wishes to say.” Gabriel gave a lopsided smile and looked toward Angela and the rest of her small crew that stood frozen nearby, waiting for the pirates to finally give them the attention. The man took a step forward, nodding for everyone to make their way inside the hospital. “Miss Ziegler, you wish to hear of another tale before the sky drops onto our heads?”

  
  
  
  



	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And sat they there, indulging into the pages of Jamison's unexpected gift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will introduce you to a bit of lore as well as the turning point of the story. I hope you enjoy.

**V**

 

**An excerpt from** _ Myths of the Lingering _

 

They say beyond the abandoned lands and cold waters still unexplored lie the islands forsaken by the gods. No ship dares to sail nearby as the currents there pull the vessels toward the forbidden islands, forcing accidents in order to trap the sailors there forever. No one claims to have seen the islands, nor anyone came back for obvious reasons. Shanties speak of the place most wicked that feeds upon the souls of anyone that steps their foot in the territory of creatures never known to history but praised in legends. 

The Cursed Islands earned a deadly reputation, alas no one had evidence of them ever existing. Some say that the place is just a tale made up by the sailors to explain the lost ships that never appeared on the horizon again or dismiss the paranormal to a curse. Others suggest that the Cursed Islands are real but only seen when they wish to be since in truth they are a living thing. By some myths, the islands are situated on a back of  a great serpent that travels deep underwater when it's time to change the location of the cursed lands, thus finding new grounds to hunt for ignorant sailors and feeding its fauna.

If someone does stumble upon the land, they are burdened to undergo severe challenges, the storm being the first since it’s the island's’ self-defence against treasure hunters. Many believe that after great vessels of most notorious have crashed, their treasures were scattered all over the ground promising fortune of a lifetime for the one to claim it all. Alas, not many were bold enough to beat the storm and earn an entrance to the islands willingly, after all, it’s a compromise for all superstitions. 

After the storm, followed the next challenge thought to be the most dangerous and impossible: madness. Those to step onto the firm forsaken ground would find themselves suddenly lost and alone; their crew vanished into thin air and their ship gone from the waters. The victims would linger, hearing and seeing things that weren’t there, as well as observe the sky turning colors most eerie. Many would give up at this point, falling to their knees and tearing their eyes out, their fingers covered in blood, only to then discover that they were standing at the same spot this whole time. Too late it would be since others followed the easy route and ended their life before realizing that they simply had to relax and let the tricks disappear by their own. 

The third challenge was said to be a vivid experience for the easily entertained eye. The Cursed Islands served as a home to creatures believed to be only a myth or a spook in a lullaby for small children. When the young sailors were warned of the great Kraken, now they would find him circling around the islands, long tentacles wrapping around the ship in order to break it like a toothpick and devour it, thus cutting off any chance of escape. The beach was filled with singing sirens that laughed at the miserable faces of the suffering, pointing their elegant clawed fingers toward the jungles. Further there, streams of drinkable cool water flowed through the green tangled trees, mermaids awaiting on the damp rocks with their sharp teeth and tongues sucking on the last bits of meat left on the bones of previous sailors. Wild birds of all known colors flying over the heads of the foolish adventurers; their tunes spreading over the island as to notify the rest that soon silence would follow. There a Phoenix was seen, sitting on the branch of a red blossoming tree, cleaning its feathers that turned to ash as they fell from its fiery wings. It would croak at the sailors as if trying to tell them that it was the beauty they would see for the last time. 

Then a warm breeze would envelop the men, their eyes growing heavy and their lips lifting in a small smile as they would feel so suddenly tranquil. They would rest their heads on the moss-covered rocks, muttering to themselves that soon they would bring great riches back to their homelands, make their wives and children happy, and never have to sail again. The jungle would unexpectedly feel safe, wrapping its arms around the fools that thought the islands an oasis filled with wonders to tell the next of kin. And then, in the last rays of the promising sunshine, all the sailors would hear, before falling into darkness, is a siren’s last song. 

 

* * *

 

**Chapter 30:** _Visions a Sailor Must Be Aware Of_

 

Any navigator knows how to guide a ship into a right direction, whether they use a compass, a map, or simply their well-trained gut. The North Star, the one that shines most bright, believed to always guide home. The color of the sunset determined what the waters would be by morrow and when a storm was coming the following afternoon. Whether it was the direction of the wind hitting a damp finger lifted in the air, or a well-drawn route on the piece of parchment; nothing would throw off a sailor more than a paranormal vision that their eyes were never trained for. 

Have one ever observed a green flash that spread over the horizon when the sun melted away? Have one ever noticed the strange orange moon that believed to be a messenger of visions, the mother of all foreshadowings that not many could catch upon? 

Every sailor must know the common visions that are out of a simple mind’s reach. In this chapter, there a few one must be aware of, whether it is truth or myth, no one wishes to risk their life in a moment of mass confusion.

 

* *

**Smiling Brothers**

 

Sometimes a crew’s count appears to be a few numbers higher than the ship quartermaster’s report at the beginning of the journey. Such oddity is dismissed by the idea that a few rascals have sneaked onto the vessel in the desire of escaping home or reuniting with those that joined by their will.  Usually, the fools are easily recognized by the lack of experience around the deck or the severe sea sickness that they fail to tame in a week; but what happens if they are not recognized and the count remains higher than wanted? That is where you as a fellow sailor must open your eyes wide, especially during the moment when the crew is most busy on the upper decks. 

A vision of two lingering figures might be caught at the nose of the ship. They will appear as simple men, dressed like the rest of the group, and not really engaged in any kind of task. The only way to recognize them from the rest is the wide smiles their lips wear without a break as if their muscles never get tired. They continue to watch the crew, floating around freely and ignoring any kind of an order as they fish for a direct eye contact. A sailor must remember that looking into the vision’s eyes would result in their immediate death as the brothers feed on the inner world of a man, sucking out their memories and personality, in order to become human and leave the spirit world they were a part of. 

The only way to get rid of the Smiling Brothers is for the captain to give out an order for everyone to cease their doing and start acting like the uninvited guests, thus walking around absentmindedly, eyes cast into empty space, with large smiles on their lips. No matter how strange it might sound, the entities will become confused as they would consider the rest of the crew as their own and leave in search for their next victim. The count would return to match the quartermaster’s report and the ship would be free from the brothers for the rest of their trip. 

 

* *

 

**Orange Moon**

 

It is common for the moon to change its shape and shade from time to time, especially with the change of the season. Alas, when the glow becomes bloody orange, that is where the fellow sailor should stand aware. During such occurrence, it is believed that one of the crew is chosen to see something in the night that might predict the further events of the trip. Usually, it was the captain that by morning shared the strange visions of things most peculiar with the crew, but if it was a member of the larger crowd, misfortune would most likely follow. 

The evidence of the Orange Moon was rare though since most sailors slept during the deep hours of the night, only a few of them remaining on the night watch. In addition, only the chosen one could see the change in the moon’s color while the rest remained ignorant to the occurring visions. Sometimes the men that claimed to see a few strange things weren’t trusted since anyone could easily pretend they’ve been chosen by the Orange Moon. And although such phenomenon wasn’t addressed to any existing God, it was considered that the infamous Shimada clan used the supernatural ability in order to warn their brothers of an upcoming misfortune or confuse their enemies, thus sending them horrific visions of their demise. 

The last sighting of the Orange Moon was claimed to be seen by the British admiral that saw four massive ships with black sails fully spread, slowly floating toward his own vessel even though the wind was blowing against them. Later, such vision predicted the appearance of the Four Infamous that began to terrorize the seas and demolish lives of many innocents. It is unknown if more visions of the moon occurred after that, but it must be remembered as a sign of something grand to take place in a near future. 

 

* *

**Blue Serpent, or Misfortune’s Dragon**

 

Many believe dragons to be a myth, a tale that only small children tend to fantasize of as they flop their arms, imagining them to be great leather wings, and open their mouths as if spitting fire into the air. All that and more should be dismissed from the mind of a beginning sailor. 

When the waters are calm and the ocean’s depth seem to attract a young eye with its darkness and silence, one should be aware of the blue glow that spreads deep within the eternal abyss. It happens at night during the Orange Moon, when visions cease the moment and let one emerge from the depth before the chosen one. 

The image of a blue, often colossal, glowing dragon forms before the eyes, it’s gaze sent into the distance yet the sailor could feel that it is piercing their soul. The vision continues for a few lasting moments as the human stares in awe while the dragon remains motionless as if waiting for something. If the man decided to strike a conversation, he would find failure as the dragon speaks no words but observes in silence. The air becomes still, the tension rising as the fellow sailor ponders if the wicked entity would devour him and the ship or simply watch over him like the guardian angel. 

In truth, the Blue Serpent is a symbol of misfortune, predicting an upcoming tragedy or a large change in the world’s cycle that might have a large number of casualties. The sailor must remember that if they are burdened with such a vision, the following events will include them and the rest of the crew, thus playing an important role in a large chess game. 

It is also believed that the notorious Shimada clan, mentioned previously, is responsible for the dragon visions. It is unknown if they can truly control such an impossible power, but both the clan and the scaled serpents remain a myth to this day, summoning endless questions if they would ever appear on the pages of history rather than parchments of legends. 

 

* *

**An excerpt from** _ Chapter 16: She of Whom Silence Whispers  _

 

When the first pirate vessels claimed the seas, the young captains began to explore the edges of the world, discovering many wonders that they could barely take a note of. While this work is titled as fiction, there is no guarantee that everything written here is a lie. Legends desire to remain legends as they seek peace away from curious eyes, especially those that wish to rob the mysteries of their  shadows. 

Evidently, there are things in the waters that no one can expand their knowledge on. The same Kraken remains a secret that Neptune seems to hide deep within his worrying arms, the waves of which carry the rumors away from the truth, spreading like a plague in order to confuse the minds of those that expect to know how to deal with the phenomenon of the sea. However, when it comes to it, no one returns to land alive, only their farewells turned from shouts to whispers that then supposedly are gathered by _Her._

Perhaps one already knows of the sirens, but only the surface of the greater meal that hides away from the hungry eyes. Sirens are believed to live on one island in a large group of beautiful innocent-looking women that attract the sailing ships and crash them to their demise. In reality, sirens live in small groups that are scattered all over the world; some of them might never cross paths and know of the others’ existence. Every siren family has a natural leader that communicates with the rest before they divide to join the world of humans for the given amount of time. 

By myth, a siren was born during the eclipse and the Orange Moon, thus giving the newborn abilities that equal to a sea deity. The new daughter of Neptune is often crowned as Calypso, but it remains unknown if the siren ever existed. Sailors often credit the unusual storms and other misfortunes onto her shoulders, spreading words that if one hears a distant whispering of a soft female voice, their soul was in danger as the rest of the crew. 

Calling upon Calypso willingly was a dangerous decision, alas many pirates believe that the siren might help them against their foes. The approximate location of the deity is the Cursed Islands where traditionally no sailor’s foot dares to stand.  She of Whom the Silence Speaks remains a mystery, although it is rumored that she has an acquaintance in the pirate circle.  

 

* *

**Chapter 17:** _ Shimada Brothers _

 

Beyond seas most wicked where no man steps onto the land cursed by the great dragons, lies the lair of the ancient Shimada Clan that is rumored to be the oldest pirate generation known since the beginning. Their most vicious captains tamed the seas with  fast vessels, deadly artillery,  and the knowledge of some black magic that uses the power of dragons. It is unknown just how the men of the clan could control the dragons that seem only to be a myth, a foolish fairy tale, but something did form their empire even if it was hidden from the eyes of the world. 

Alas, all empires have their downfall-

 

_ Here the pages seem to be torn out, followed by Jamison’s notes:  _

 

_ “It appears that the previous owner of this book decided to keep the information for themselves. Or, hide something. Hmm, the only thing I know of this clan is the following:  _

_ Brothers: Hanzo and Genji Shimada _

_ Even a myth, they are part of the Four Infamous _

_ Supposedly the ship is called Southern Wind _

_ Their route is believed to be always settled for the most dangerous areas, which makes me suspect that they do not exist _

_ Hmm...I also know that they may control the dragons… _

_ It looks like they’re close to India, but... _

_ Damn it, I must find them.” _

 

* * *

 

Gabriel froze his eyes at the part of the book where the pages vanished, leaving the context unexplained; like  a cliff-hanger of a hunger summoning book that was never to be finished. He looked up, voice pausing, to meet a few pairs of widened eyes as they questioned the missing words and the notes that were added by the captain of the Rat. 

“Well, that’s, ah, unexpected.” Lucio leaned forward from his chair, glancing over the novel with a puzzled expression. “Seems like someone’s tryin’ to hide something.” 

“So much for the reading.” The captain of Death Blossom shut the book with a soft sigh, placing it onto the table that situated in the living room of the top floor, thankfully away from all the medicaments and surgical devices that Angela always kept clean and organized. The healer herself sat nearby Reyes, her large eyes scanning each word that the pirate read to the rest of the settled party, imbibing the information as she has never encountered it before. In secret, Ziegler hoped that Gabriel would be so kind to leave her the book to read from beginning to the end as now he seemed to skip no less exciting chapters. She saw a few images of sea monsters that she only heard from the common talk, but the details of this book seemed to be more truthful than the rumors of the streets. Even though she never believed into things she had not experienced in person, something about this book told her that sometimes investing in something paranormal would have its benefits in the future. 

“Shimada brothers, huh.” Lucio added a few moments later as the group sat in silence, wondering of the still torn pages. “Do they have a role to play in whatever it is going on right now?”  
“Perhaps.” Reyes nodded slowly, his eyes running over Jamison’s notes, pausing at the mention of the ship’s name and the fact that the mythological pirates have always been a part of the infamous bandits. It was odd to think them as the part of the routine as no known pirate ever knew them. “Wherever they are, if they do exist, their help is welcomed greatly.”

“A war is a war.” Amelie’s voice emerged from the corner of the room. The woman has been sitting on the windowsill this whole time, her eyes taking in the sun that began to slowly glide toward the tight line of the horizon, its hot rays giving in and finally losing their former power. The sky began to change colors; from the blue it went to pink and green, to then embrace the Phoenix’s cry and turn bloody orange and red. The approaching sunset was breathtaking, although for some it was the last sunset they would ever regard. There was something sinister of the view, forcing the French woman to look away and join the conversation. “Even the Devil is welcome to join our side.”

“The Devil has over been on our side.” Gabriel added; at that moment both him and Widow maintained a significantly long eye contact that only the two of them could understand; it was as if they had a silent conversation between themselves, speaking of their own mysteries. 

“Jamison’s obsession with the brothers comes from the moment he acquired that book.” Lacroix spoke after she felt the tension grow in the room; she knew that everyone noticed the lingering suspense between her and Reyes. “He wants to know of them, and of course the treasures they possess. Shimada clan lived in luxury after all.” 

“And while he searches away from Nassau and possible lands he might explode,” Gabriel smirked. “We are burdened to take on an armada if that’s what England wishes for.” 

“How are you going to do it by yourself? I mean, there can be ten ships against one.” Mei decided to join in, her glasses sliding down her nose from sudden worry. She had an odd feeling in her chest that this might be the last peaceful night all the present will remember. If only she could predict the future like the described entities in the book, then she could prevent whatever it is was coming to knock on their door. 

“Mademoiselle.” Widow rolled her eyes, standing up for the captain before he could explain himself. The huntress approached the table, her thin fingers sliding over the smooth surface as she slightly leaned forward to give everyone a quick glance before her eyes landed on Mei. “Ten ships against one sounds like a failure for the latter, but do not forget that ten ships against Death Blossom present a battle of a different kind.” There was a mysterious smirk dancing on the woman’s lips before she abandoned the table and situated at the window once more. 

“I’m sure Captain Reyes is a captain for a reason.” Lucio joked, noticing a huff of agreement from the Widowmaker before he shifted uncomfortably in his seat, clearing his throat as to get Gabriel’s attention. In the meantime, the captain could only agree with Widow’s words, but his mind was cast back at the torn pages of the book. Why were they missing? Did someone really take them with a purpose of hiding the truth, or using it for their own ill purposes? It was another mystery Gabriel had to store into the back of his head and consider investigating after the whatever chaos was over; if it was over. 

“Well, it is the time we meet the crew at the beach. I’m sure Jesse already gathered everyone.” Gabriel said with a slight note of exhaustion in his voice. The sudden news became quite devastating, especially for his men. He already expected a few panicked eyes meeting him as he would walk along the shore with Amelie by his side, like messengers of an apocalypse. It was going to be taught, but Death Blossom was nothing without a challenging battle. Besides, Reyes had nothing to lose in the end. Correct? 

“Capt- Gabriel.” Angela’s voice enveloped the man’s ears, causing him to turn his head as he was ready to elevate from the chair. Aquamarine eyes met with the dark ones, holding a moment before the medic continued to speak. “Be careful.”

“Just like I promised, Miss Ziegler.” The man smirked and nodded toward the book. “Keep that as a token to strengthen my word. I cannot leave Nassau without it.” Gabriel smiled softly, noticing the thin coat of blush spread over the woman’s cheeks as she beamed back at the captain. Therein, he saw pure happiness and hope that someday he would read her the rest of the book. Was it all in order to make this woman smile and feel joy? Perhaps Reyes would have the honor to see such a grin later on. 

“Captain, I can see them in the distance.” Amelie warned as she was amused at the small flirt thrown back and forth between the doctor and the pirate. Gabriel straightened up and cleared his throat, approaching the woman under her widening smile before he threw a gaze out the window. 

“We go now” The captain announced before a string of quick farewells followed. Soon, the two pirates left the clinic, hastily making their way toward the shore where McCree stood as the head of the group, gesturing his arms around as he was in the middle of repeating the news for the tenth time for those who still considered it to be a trick. Once there, Gabriel addressed the pirates in a strict manner of a simple nod and a short:

“Gentlemen.” 

The crew lined up, watching their captain with the expected fearful expressions spread over their face. There was nothing more to add as their minds could recite the new of war in their slumber, causing endless nightmares to pursue them in the future. Gabriel inhaled slowly and nodded toward his great vessel that rocked softly in the harbor, waiting for the captain to stand at the wheel and guide the next trip. 

“Whoever is coming is nothing compared to us. I don’t care how much you fear the British flag showing up on the horizon.” Reyes snarled, the former softness in his voice vanishing as it suddenly seemed to shake the ground beneath his strong feet.  “Death Blossom will never let her men drown in the sea, I will never see you choke on your blood unless I am the one slicing your throat. Gentlemen, there is an army on the way that thinks it may take over our home and erase us from the face of the world.” Reyes reached over to his hip to then sharply pull out his rapier from its sheath, the slicing sound shaking the rest of the crew to the bones. 

“You know what I say to that? I say we fight until the sea turns red from their blood and our faces are twisted in exhaustion, but our laughter louder than their screams of agony. Any coward that still doubts our power, our freedom, and a pirate’s will is dismissed.” There was a pause as Gabriel waited for some fearful dog to leave the line of bold brothers; thankfully nothing of that sort occurred, leaving Reyes standing before a group of hollering men with their cutlasses pointing to the sky as they supported their leader to the end. 

It was  then when suddenly everything paused, ceasing the joyful bonding of the pirate team, as well as the rest of flora and fauna of Nassau. Suddenly, it felt like even the air became still, afraid to move a single leaf on the hovering trees. A loud whistle cut the thickening air, a large round object zooming above the head of several men before it suddenly formed a large hole in the building not so far from the shore. Soon, a few more followed, disfiguring a few more neighboring facilities and nearly sending them falling. The former joyful shouts were suddenly substituted by screams of agony and fear, this time coming from the civilians on the other side of the pirates where the town started. Gabriel’s eyes swiftly found Amelie’s and then McCree’s, the trio realizing the sudden turn of events before the rest of the island.

_ Canons. _

The expected guests have arrived. 


	6. A Night of Three Hundred Screams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once conflict knocks on one's door, tragedy is inevitable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's time for angst. (death and feels ahead)

**VI**

**Tʜᴇ Nɪɢʜᴛ ᴏғ Tʜʀᴇᴇ-Hᴜɴᴅʀᴇᴅ Sᴄʀᴇᴀᴍs**  

 

**Kirill Pokrovky- Bittersweet Regrets**

 

When I first met Doctor Ziegler, we were standing on the deck of a traveling ship. Light wind played with my hair as I watched the horizon change color one after another, wondering what was out there beyond. I left my old home a few months ago and there was no particular destination I’ve had in mind. I simply gathered my things and spoke to the local captain if he could depart with me on board. It seemed like he didn’t mind since there were a few people with us that wished to get away from the cold monotone world.

Angela was a person of beauty and elegance. I watched how she carried herself across the deck, smiling at the crewmen with sunshine beating around her as if she was the center of the world. The sailors were distracted at times, wondering how could they repay an honor of an angel blessing their ship. Never did the doctor overcame with pride, though she always remained shy and self-controlled.

When I spoke to her, she was most friendly and welcoming as if we already knew each other. She asked where I was going to which I answered with a simple shrug. I had no idea, I simply wished to get away.

“Do you have a dream?” The doctor spoke to me, her gentle voice soothing my ears as we stood together at the nose of the ship, overlooking the distant islands that the ship ignored as it sailed by. I thought about it for a moment before nodding my head and fixing my glasses that had a poor habit of sliding down my nose.

“I do.” I smiled. “One day, I wish to watch the night sky pass on by without a single worry in my heart. The whole night of just enjoying how the world was, still and beautiful.” My eyes darted toward the pink sky above us, the evening approaching the ocean, meaning that soon the night shift would start and the guests of the vessel would have to go below deck. Angela beamed at me, seeming to take my desire for such peace very seriously. She placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it softly before she followed my gaze.

“I think I will share that wish with you.”

“Really?” I asked, my eyes growing wide as the woman nodded back at me, her grin remaining.

“Tell you what, why don’t you come with me? I wish to open a clinic on one of the islands in the Caribbean. You can help me around and we can live together.”

“Caribbean? But isn’t that where the pirates sail?” I gasped, not sure what kind of a mad desire it was to settle on one of the bandit hotspots. It was dangerous in the sea, especially where the pirates circled for prey like sharks. Angela, however, didn’t seem to be touched by such a warning, she simply shrugged and chuckled.

“Pirates provide a little distraction. It just means that we will be busy more than usual on those days.” The doctor laughed, covering her mouth with her hand before she made eye contact with me. “I’m Angela Ziegler, but please, call me Angela. What is your name?”

“Mei.”

 

* * *

**Medicine Chant- Anilah**

 

When tragedy spreads its arms around a city it seems like even the air becomes still and heavy. Time slows down before coming to a halt and the surroundings cease to make sense. It becomes a great melting pot of all feelings that in the end spill out in a form of tears and blood.

Nassau’s evening could’ve been different if a week ago Jamison failed to capture the royal man-o-war. It could’ve been different if Death Blossom decided to sail passed the land and keep on going into the waters of unknown. It would’ve been a change if there was no war between pirates and the English Crown. Alas, peace was a forbidden subject in the land belonging to pirates. Wherever they went, death followed no matter how much many tried to prevent it.

When a new ship approached the harbor, it seemed like the large sails blocked the setting sun, creating a horrific eclipse. The vessel was a fortress with three rows of cannons running across the sides, a strong dark hull, a significant amount of sails, and, of course, a large royal symbol plastered over the silk. The man-o-war this size was made to be a device for a devastating cause, the death by which was inevitable. The ship’s side was facing the city, the heads of cannons poking out from their nests like hungry ravens waiting to feed upon the lives they spit the ammunition at. The cannonballs rained onto the land, destroying marketing stations and living buildings one after another. Screams filled the air creating a unison of a horrific orchestra that refused to cease its ill concert. Crimson painted the ground within the first few moments of a sudden attack, causing the citizens to scatter all over the streets, shouting for their loved ones that were already lost in the blasts, taken in their sleep by the large metal that demolished  their homes. Children cried for their mothers, crawling on the dirty ground, and reaching for every passing stranger that ignored their existence. A small group of awakened men called to gather arms, supplying every cutlass and rifle there was available  from the warehouses in the back of the city.

Gabriel stood watching the ship’s attack, eyes widened from the shocking image of an attack that never failed to hesitate. Usually, the royal ships gave a warning, alas this one was tired of waiting and chasing after the pirates. It rained one ball after another, a few houses already leveled with the ground, people shouting to get as far away from the shooting range as possible. So little time was given, thus many were already rolling on the ground, lost limbs and coughing up blood before falling into darkness. It was unbelievable. The image of death that occurred so fast could not settle in the mind of even the most merciless killers.  And what could they do? Nothing. Just watch and try to save those that still could get away from the attack.

“Get to cover and run to the ship. Now!” Reyes snarled, making his crew snap out from the horrified trance before they scattered toward the boats in order to swim toward the ship. “Amelie, take a group of sharpshooters and stay ashore. Take your positions in the shadows and await my command.”

“Oui, captain.” Widow nodded, shouting a few commands in French to attract the attention of a few sniper trained men from her homeland.  It was nice having men that spoke her native language on the ship, easier to complain sometimes and spread rumors. The fellow sailors soon joined Lacroix, nodding their heads as she tried to explain the following actions in the loud banging of the cannons. It seemed like the ship hasn’t noticed the crew yet since they were far away from this side of the beach, but it was certain they spotted Death Blossom, it would explain why they were shooting.

Gabriel climbed the ladder leading onto the deck of his ship rather fast. He had to act as quickly as possible before the man-o-war would notice them and take out Death Blossom without letting it have its last full sail.

“Catch the wind! All sail, now!” Reyes shouted, looking over his shoulder as he watched the ship in the distance, still assaulting the poor town with its merciless methods. Soon they would board the shore and release whatever soldier stood there waiting. Gabriel had to end this quickly before it was too late.

“Captain, they spotted us. The ship is sailing over here.” Jesse flew up the stairs in order to join Reyes at the wheel, his hand holding down onto his hat as he heard the cannons suddenly cease their fire. There was a second of pure silence which was broken by cries from the shore; the suffering still struggled onto their feet, falling each time they saw a new familiar corpse resting under the mess of wooden shards. Gabriel’s eyes darted toward the town, trying to scan every building as he wished to find one particular one. The hospital was hard to find in the mess  of thousands broken ruins, as well as his gaze was interrupted by the cry of one of his crewmen that notified the team that the ship was aiming to shoot at Death Blossom.

“Not today.” Gabriel snarled, spinning the wheel to turn the ship to the left, the wind picking up, thankfully on their side, as the vessel pushed away from the town and joined the dance of the sea. The man-o-war was massive, bigger than Death Blossom that was certain. Three large masts held at least sixteen sails bound together to move the heavy weight, as well as catch and tame the wild wind. The yellow and blue streaks of perfect paint across the rows on the sides and the various British flags only confirmed that this was the ship sent to chase after the pirates that were rumored to be closer to shore in this season. Usually, Gabriel spent more time at sea rather than hanging out in various locations on land, but perhaps this time it changed since the currents brought him to Nassau for a reason. It was clear now that the wind blew here as it begged the city to be saved.

“Canon ready on the left, captain.” Jesse said proudly as he already gave out the command to prepare to fire, reading Gabiel’s mind as he saw just how serious the man became. There was no hint of amusement in the dark eyes, as well as the silence that the ship into signified that this was the war Reyes warned about. No one dared to move, waiting for the command to shed blood into the blue waters below, coloring the ocean into a soft red.

“I want everyone ready but do not fire until they fire first. “ The captain warned as Death Blossom began to slowly glide to join the parallel to the opponent’s ship. Of course, it was the beginning of the end, but every proud captain, even the most wicked, always knew that confronting the enemy in peace first was the highest honor. Alas, shooting the poor city was a cowardly move, sending Gabriel a message that they will not leave harbor without a bloody fight and more lives adding into their books. “Jesse, did you see the ship’s name?” The captain asked over his shoulder as he noticed McCree approach, the beloved tricorn sitting firmly on his head as he was preparing himself for the worst.  The first mate turned his face to gaze upon the captain, giving out a negative hum as he furrowed his brows.

“Nay, didn’t see it. Though the figurehead looks familiar.” He shrugged. “It’s a woman with an eye-patch...seems like she’s holding somethin’ ” McCree narrowed his eyes as he tried to figure out what the man-o-war’s symbolic representation held in her painted hands. It wasn’t like Junkrat’s with a menacing look in her eyes, but more soothing and elegant, as if the figurehead was the mother of the crew that stood upon the deck of the fine vessel. “Looks like an orb of some kind. I dunno, perhaps the sun?” Jesse dragged on, only to be suddenly stopped by Gabriel’s hand.

“It’s fire. Fire of healing, prosperity, and fortune.” Reyes said slowly, his whole body tensing up as he now knew exactly what ship they were standing against and who remained at the wheel no matter what wickedness struck the sails. “The ship’s name is Ana.” He sighed out causing Jesse to gasp and press his back against the railing as he stared at the captain in disbelief.

“No way. The Ana? But what such a vessel doin’ here?”  He inquired, glaring toward the quickly decreasing distance between two ships. Gabriel gave out the command to ease off the sail, letting the current carry them instead as he fixed his frock, ready to greet the opponent’s captain with a bitter expression on his face.

“Haven’t seen it since Death Blossom left England.” The captain growled to himself, his eyes searching the figures at the nose of the ship that began to show as the vessels were close to each other. It seemed like Ana decided to tame the fire and let the men exchange a few words before starting the bloodbath.  As the ships became parallel, Gabriel’s eyes immediately darted toward the large platform of the captain’s bridge, noticing the extravagant wheel adorned in white wood and golden designs where a proud captain stood, regarding the other already.

The man was adorned in most expensive attire the Royal Navy allowed for his rank. By the medals and design of his coat, it was clear that the captain was an admiral; something Gabriel should’ve been a long time ago before this fool took his place. Reyes felt a knot twist in his chest as a familiar scarred face changed its expression, mocking the man with a cunning smile as both of them recognized each other well. The captain of Death Blossom shifted back from the wheel as the ships slowed down, allowing the captains to exchange a few words as they glided forward.

“Captain Reyes.” The man said with a nod, smirking as he tipped his large hat with a hint of sarcasm.

“Morrison.” Gabriel spat out with disgust as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I thought you English bastards didn’t attack cities of innocent people?”

“That’s your job, Reyes. My job is to attack cities that are plagued with pirates.” The last word that fell from Jack’s lips felt like a poisonous bite. It stung the captain of the other vessel as well as his crew; everyone wished to sink the damn man-o-war already, but in this proximity, they stood no chance since it was too risky.

“You want war, Jack? You will get war. I’m not going to let you take control over this town or our lives.” Gabriel growled, grabbing his rapier by the handle before pulling it out from its sheath, pointing the blade toward the amused captain that beamed back at the Reaper.

“You all fight till the end.” Morrison shook his head as he looked at his first mate that stood nearby with a matching smile on his face. The members of Ana new something Gabriel did not and that rose concern on Death Blossom. “Very well. If you do not give in freely, we will make you. Distance!” Jack commanded toward his crew that ran to spread the sails and add to the speed of the vessel.  The cannons were unleashed once more, the metal heads peeking from their nests as to ready to fire any moment.

“I’ll sink you.” Gabriel snarled as the ships parted ways to then give out an order to match the speed to the wind and turn the ship so that they could engage in a battle. It was a nice way of preparing for a massacre and Reyes had to make sure that Jack didn’t hurt the town again, thus he aimed his ship toward the depth of the horizon, away from Nassau’s borders. Ana followed as expected, trying to match the parallel once again in order to fire the first set of cannons toward Death Blossom. The ship managed to dodge a few thanks to Gabriel’s skillful technique of turning the wheel and commanding for ease off the sail for a moment. It was a work most complex, but Death Blossom new worse situation which the vessel manage to survive just fine.

“Fire! Fire until we have no ammunition ,dammit!” Reyes yelled, turning the wheel sharply to the right in order to let five cannons brush through the back of the ship. Ana was a fortress, thus it was taller than Death Blossom, but that gave the pirates an advantage of hurting the hull of the ship and sinking it to match their level.

“Fire!” Was heard from the royal ship as cannons were charged and fired with intervals, a smart move to confuse the counterpart and leave less momentum to dodge. Jack knew what he was doing, but he was also aware that Gabriel had his name as Reaper for a good reason.

“Captain! We lost three cannons!” Jesse shouted, shocked just how fast Morrison’s cannon managed to hurt Death Blossom. It was evident that they stood no chance against it. Jamison was the expert at sinking man-o-wars, and had things like bombs and mortars installed on his ship. Gabriel relied on cannons and manpower only, thus having a major disadvantage in this situation. Reyes knew it but stood till the end since he had a plan of his own.

“Keep firing, add more sail, all of it!” Gabriel yelled toward the crew as steel wheezed over his head, one of the leaving a significant cut in one of his masts. He could’ve sworn he heard Jack laughing through the loud noise and it only increased his wrath. There was no way he would let this snake bring victory to home. Without Reyes, the rest of the Infamous were powerless with no information on their hands. Junkrat was busy with searching for the mythical Shimadas, while God knows where the Bear of North was. Reyes turned his head to gaze back at Nassau, the city was already caught on fire and devastated and he was powerless. Amelie who remained on the shore with the team of snipers had no contribution as well since the two ships were already far away.

“Captain, they have big guns. I suggest we-”

“I know McCree, I know. We stand no chance.” Gabriel snarled as he saw one of the flying cannonballs slam against the front of his ship, leaving a significant hole in it. It barely missed the skeleton figurehead that still proudly held a scythe in its bony arms as its parted jaw gazed upward, praying for mercy. Death Blossom and Ana were an ill match; if only Reyes had Jamison’s ship which was smaller and faster.

“What do we do? We left Widow on the shore.” Jesse commented as he held onto his hat that was quivering from the wind. He nearly lost balance as the captain shot the ship aside again from a new wave of ammunition. Gabriel closed his eyes for a moment, glaring toward Ana that was closing in; then suddenly something caught his eye ashore. It was a once tall building the top floor of which was completely demolished, the fundament crumbled downward, possibly crushing everything that was unfortunate to be beneath. He narrowed his eyes, noticing a few details that suddenly sent a lightning shock through his body at the realization. The Hospital. Angela was still there and her home was destroyed by the cannon. Was she alive? Was anyone alive there? Reyes swallowed and began to turn his ship around, thus catching a few heavy hits into the side of the ship, causing it to shake violently. He heard a few of his crewmen scream, some flying overboard to their death.

“Captain what are you doing?” Jesse yelled as he was almost swallowed by the ocean as well. The Reaper looked over to him, dark eyes shining with a fire that McCree hasn’t seen before. Evidently, the captain made a decision he will not back off from.

“Hide the cannons. We are boarding the harbor again.” Gabriel snarled, causing a unison of gasps and protests from his team. Evidently,if Death Blossom entered the bay again, they would have no time to dodge the upcoming strike. They were faster than Ana, but surely not as prepared to escape. “Widowmaker will have to join us at haste, Jesse, take the wheel and make sure Death Blossom comes as close to the shore as possible.”

“Captain, that is insane, if we come close the ship will be stuck on the sand!” McCree’s voice broke off as a cannon hit the railings at the side of the ship, sending pieces of sharp wood flying into different directions, a few crewmen  appearing wounded. The captain cursed to himself, it was a bad idea leaving Amelie on the shore, as well as coming this close to losing his ship. But he had to save those that he swore to tell stories to after all; Angela was in danger, and he had to make sure he fulfills his promise.

“McCree, trust me.” Reyes grabbed the man’s shoulder, holding him tightly as his eyes met a pair of shocked ones. Everyone feared the decisions their captain  made, especially in a moment of pure chaos. “After I give you a signal, you will turn the ship toward the horizon. We will bring Ana away from Nassau.”

“They will give us chase…”

“Exactly. Jesse, you know what I intend to do.” Gabriel’s face deepened, Jesse gasping as he realized what the captain meant and nodding.

“Y-Yes, sir. I will do as you ask. But please don’t make us sink because I’m not ready to die yet.” He managed a smile; Reyes had to know what he was doing otherwise, this was the last time everyone would see the green flash at the horizon before night came.  As the captain gave a few new orders, Jesse hurried to take control of the wheel, turning the ship to approach the shore with a diagonally. He could already feel the bottom scraping the sand beneath the water; his body shook slightly, afraid of moving the wheel too far. Ana ceased fire in the distance, clearly confused why Death Blossom suddenly approached Nassau so close, nonetheless, their sail was open wide, thus pulling the vessel toward the shore in order to strike a devastating blow again.

Gabriel landed on his feet, already greeted by Amelie’s wide eyes as she watched the captain and the ship approach. She knew that he returned for her and several others, but at what cost? The Royal Navy’s candidate was stronger and outnumbered them well. If only they could have a battle on land, then the pirates had the luck on their side, alas it seemed that Reyes had a change of plans.

“Get on the ship. Right now. I’m going to join you soon.” Reyes commanded before he began to sprint toward the suffering town, jumping over broken crates and corpses, nearly falling into holes made by cannons. He dodges a few falling walls and watched the fire burn at the distant firehouse, his head bowing solemnly as he heard people beg for a reason why they deserved such hell. He had no answer, only silence would cure their broken souls. When the clinic appeared in his view, Gabriel froze at his feet, watching how the once glorious building of mercy now was a mess of wood and metal, paint stained in black and red. The pirate slowly approached, yelling out the names of the trio that occupied the facility. He had to go around the back since the front door was destroyed and blocked by pieces of whatever walls were made off. The former garden that shone in its beauty became a fragile image of sadness, the flowers that Lucio so humbly worked on vanished under a thick cover of ash and dirty, losing the soft color it once resembled.

“Angela?” Gabriel called carefully as he stepped through the broken planks, pushing inside of the home. “Lucio? Mei?” He asked over and over again, not sure if they were here. Perhaps the party left after the first cannon struck their home, yet by the looks of it, it seemed like the following hits occurred in a short period of time. “Please don’t make this difficult.” He whispered to himself as he was suddenly grabbed from behind; the pirate spun around and came face to face with a pair of full blue eyes and a face covered in dirt. The golden hair he recognized were a mess, hands wounded from the wooden pieces that stabbed the skin of the woman who now melted into tears.

“Gabriel please help us!” Angela’s voice quivered, her hands never letting go of the man’s coat. She was soon joined by Lucio who nearly stumbled a few times.  The man was holding onto his side, clearly injured, as well as it looked like he broke a bone in his leg. Both were in pain, and both needed the captain’s assistance; the one that saved needed saving now.

“Angela, the ship is in the harbor. We must hurry before the other hits us again. We are going to flee these waters, you understand?” Gabriel spoke softly, but loud enough to be heard over the screams and moans that surrounded. Angela’s eyes widened as she realized what the captain meant; she couldn’t leave Nassau and everything that she worked for here. She saved hundreds, developed tight friendships, and this was her home. There was no way she would abandon yet another nest, forcing herself to flee into the blue distance. After England and the ship attack from her past, Ziegler could not bare a sight of a ship and even think of ever planting a foot on one.

“N-No. I can’t. Gabriel I can’t!” She yelled, tears mixing with dirt as they ran down her cheeks. Lucio bowed his head as he was too broken to say anything; this was a nightmare for everyone. Once a calm Nassau met a soft sunrise and welcomed a bright sunset that turned into something horrific. The tragedy, the night where everyone fell to their knees, cursing their gods and pleading for mercy. But nothing came, only chaos.

“Angela, you must! The city will be destroyed  and I forbid you to die!” Reyes snarled back, he knew that time was coming short and he still had to get both of them onto the ship. “Please, come with me.”

“I can’t! I will not! Where will I go, Reyes? I have nothing left anymore! This was my home, the safe haven for those that were injured and lost!” A small fist slammed against the captain’s wide chest, stunning him as he watched the medic sob but glare at the taller man with flames spilling out from her eyes along with tears. “I promised those people. I promised to look after them. Children, Gabriel, what are the children going to do without their parent? Have you thought of how many injured are left here!?” In that moment a cannonball pierced a neighboring building with a loud whistle, demolishing the once known tavern and whoever was inside, still unaware of the attack. A new wave of screams followed, breaking Angela’s heart as she knew that she was of no help. Everyone was to die unless the damn royal ship was brought away.

“Angela. You are coming with me. Lucio, you too.” Gabriel said sternly, ignoring doctor Ziegler’s protest before he grabbed her and swung her over his shoulder. He then picked Lucio up as best as his strength allowed him before trotting outside. Angela banged her hands onto his back, wiggling as she screamed to let her go.

“Gabriel, don’t!” She cried, her hand reaching toward her clinic as she watched the last standing walls crumble and fall onto the ground. She palmed her mouth, weeping as she melted into the captain’s grasp and quietly screamed into the cloth of his coat, unable to do anything but watch the passing bodies. She knew she couldn’t save them all, no matter how many times she told herself that heroes never died, but today it was all different.

 

* * *

“McCree, where’s the Captain?” Amelie’s eyes were glued to Ana as the vessel was already nearby, ready to fire with the firmly standing guns at the front of the ship. She knew the Death Blossom wouldn’t survive another violent hit, but they couldn’t leave without the captain.

“Hell I know! He just ran into the city!” Jesse turned the wheel to guide the ship away from the beach to avoid being stuck. A string of curses left him as the time was dangerously short and Gabriel failed to show up in their views. “Amelie he’s planning to go off limits.” He informed the Widow as she approached, holding onto the railing as the ship rocked from side to side, freeing itself from the shallow waters. Suddenly one of the pirates yelled that the captain was approaching, thus the whole crew hurried to the side of the ship in order to observe Gabriel trot toward the beach with two others by his sides: a woman over his shoulder, and a short man to his right. A few men exchange glances as they were confused as to what the hell was going on; the captain brought guests in the most inconvenient time. Amelie sighed, rolling her eyes as she pulled a pair of goggles with dark lenses over her eyes to enhance her vision, looking over to the man-o-war that was a few meters away. It didn’t fire yet, perhaps Morrison was confused as to why Death Blossom failed to fight back, but as soon as he finds out that he has the upper hand, the pirate will sink.

“Lower the ladder!” Jesse yelled, spinning the wheel to return the ship to the land as it was before, hearing a loud screech as the bottom brushed roughly against the sand beneath. His curse dictionary was already running out of options and the first mate still couldn’t express his feelings toward the whole situation. Reyes in the meantime ran through the water to get as close to the ship as possible. The water enveloped his waist, thus he had to use all of his strength in order to push Lucio and Angela up into the arms of perplexed pirates that pulled them upward and then watched their captain easily battle the obstacle in a few jumps.

“McCree, get out of here!” Gabriel snarled a command and motioned toward his quarters. “Bring those two to my cabin along with a medic. Quickly!” He then left the wondering crew to fulfill the orders as he ran up the stairs to the captain’s bridge, watching Jesse violently turn the wheel as he tried to bring Death Blossom out of bay, alas the wind wasn’t strong enough to push the large vessel away from the sand and rock it was stuck on.

“Captain we are stuck!” McCree choked, backing off the wheel so that Reyes could give it a go, but all failed. Gabriel snarled and stomped his foot before glaring at Ana that was already once again parallel to Death Blossom. He saw Jack’s wild smile that wrinkled the scar across his face. The pirate remembered that mark well since it was he that left it four years ago. That memory would forever be engraved in his mind since it was the day when Gabriel Reyes died.

“Troubles, Gabriel?’ Morrison cocked his head to the side, the cannons dangerously glinting in the blue rays of the evening. Reyes never took away his eyes from the admiral as he clenched his teeth, growling viciously like a caged animal.

“You will regret this.” The man whispered before looking toward Jesse. The first mate yelped and quickly ran down the steps as he realized what Gabriel had in store.

“Ship is going to blossom!” The young man yelled, nearly stumbling over his own feet. He grabbed the broken railing and so did the other crewmen. It confused the Englishmen on the side, a wave of laughter running across their deck as they considered the pirates to be idiots.

“And what is it now? You are giving up?” Jack leaned onto his wheel, tasting sweet victory as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Really now? And here I thought the infamous Reaper was a prey worth fighting with.” Another portion of hilarity ran across the man-o-war as the soldier were ready to roll onto their backs, holding their stomachs. What they saw were endless pairs of fearful eyes of pirates that completely relied on the insane ideas of their bold captain. No one knew what was going to happen, but the royal ship surely could tell that this was the last time they would have to deal with Death Blossom. “Hah, aim the cannons.” Jack pretended to wipe an invisible tear from amusement as he muttered toward his first mate. The man nodded and gave out a signal thus preparing all the artillery immediately. Morrison walked toward the railing, pressing his elbows against it carelessly. Perhaps this was the easier hunt in his life; he had to admit, he was a little disappointed with the turnout of events. He sailed from his homeland all the way to this plagued hole just to take one of the most feared ships this easily? What fortune! What he failed to notice, however, is the thick dark fog that spread from the hull of Death Blossom and over to Ana, thus creating an odd black vortex that looked like an abyss as it hid under the water. It was then when it began to rise, Jack’s expression changed; he stared downward, not sure what was going on.

“Sir, it’s ready.” The first mate announced, pausing at his heels as he noticed the abnormality as well. “Sir? What is that?”

“I-I don’t know.” The admiral said slowly, briefly looking up at Gabriel that seemed to disappear from the captain’s bridge, never to be seen amongst his crew. Jack turned his head from side to side as he was shocked by the occurring event, not sure if he should give out the command to fire.

“Sir, shall I?”

“Give me a second.” Morrison walked swiftly down the stairs, looking toward the ship as he traveled across the railing. He could’ve sworn he noticed that Death Blossom was becoming transparent.”What the bloody hell? Hey, Smith, do you see what I see?” He pointed toward the ship. The boatswain walked over to the captain, narrowing his eyes at the significantly changing ship as the black smoke to seep onto its deck, envelop the masts, and cover the frozen crew.

“I suggest we fire now, sir.” He nodded. “This is some witchcraft I do not approve of.”  Smith suggested as he backed off in awe; this was nothing he had seen in his life before, and the navy never prepared him to face such things. Alas, Jack could positively reply to his suggestion, thick dark smoke embraced the admiral, blocking out the view of his ship and crew. He was caged in the darkness, turning to all sides with a gasp as he was taken by surprise. Outside this odd blackness, he heard his soldiers yell that the Death Blossom disappeared, vanished into the wind as if it was never there. A command was ceased, cannons failed to engage, and then silence as a familiar deep voice began to speak.

 

_You think that you have power over us, Morrison?_

It spoke slowly, echoing throughout Ana yet the source was never to be seen. The first mate said something about the captain being trapped in a black mess in the middle of the deck, but as soon as someone tried to get him out they screamed in agony. The smoke cut their flesh, nearly dismembering them.

“Don’t touch the smoke!” Jack yelled out, not sure if his crew could hear him, but judging by the following lack of action, they understood the concept by themselves.

 

_Your ship might be massive, but against the right people, it will snap like a toothpick._

 

The voice continued, ringing in the admiral’s ears as he snarled and pulled out his rapier, pointing it toward the smoke as he tried to slash through it, alas his blade never hit anything but void.

“What’s going on? Show your face, for hell’s sake!” Jack yelled, turning in a full circle as to make sure he didn’t miss any detail of the smoke. Suddenly, a shape appeared in front of him, blackness melting away to expose a tall captain of Death Blossom whose eyes glowed blood-red and mouth parted to let black smoke seep through as he spoke.

 

_You think I would let you win? I am far beyond that, Jack. Forget about the sailor you killed years ago, I am Reaper now._

 

“That’s not right. I thought you survived!” Morrison yelled, nearly dropping his sword as he couldn’t believe his eyes. Was the smoke magic? Devil’s spawn? Just what was happening!? The entity only smirked and shook his head slowly as he took a few steps toward Morrison, thus bringing tension toward the admiral.  “Don’t you come close to me!” Jack warned, but Reyes did not listen, he continued to approach.

_I am not afraid of a rat like you, Morrison. I suggest you go back where you came from because this is the last time I will have mercy._

 

How was this possible? Just a few minutes ago Jack had Death Blossom’s life in the palm of his hand, and now his own fate was dependent on this...this demon? The admiral glared, teeth nearly shattering from the pressure applied from the stressing circumstances. Jack blinked and swiftly plunged his rapier through Gabriel’s abdomen. The smoke around them seemingly twitched from the action, Reyes however barely  had any reaction. His eyes fell down to look at the blade, the ghostly sigh echoing throughout the closed space as he reached over and pulled out the sword before throwing it on the ground. The blade was surprisingly clean with no blood marks upon it and the wound that was supposed to be lethal only leaked the same black smoke before vanishing as if it never happened. Jack stared in awe, swallowing thickly as he tried to back off but the thick wall of black prevented him from escaping.

 

_That hurt, a little._

 

Gabriel commented before he turned toward the dark mist, touching it softly as he began to melt into it. His bright eyes glancing at the admiral with hidden amusement in them, he fed upon the fear of his form. It was a wonderful feeling to stun someone until their breath vanished.

 

_Get out of here, Morrison. Sail far away because the next time you see me, I shan’t be alone._

 

With that, the Reaper vanished and so did the wall of smoke, exposing the rest of the ship to Morrison who was now on his knees, staring at the sword before him. In the distance, a ship suddenly appeared, creamy sails fully opened as it began to glide toward the horizon. One of the crewmen announced that  Death Blossom was significantly away from them now, leaving the rest of the royal crew only wonder how the hell it got there when it was just here ready to sink.

“Captain, are you alright?” The boatswain slowly approached Morrison and helped him to his feet. Jack only shook his head and slowly slid his rapier inside its thin sheath before turning to gaze at his men with wide eyes.

“I s-suppose.” He whispered, sending a clue that it was best not to bother him about the smoke and the trap he was forced into. It was clear he had seen something he wouldn’t wish upon his worst enemy.

“Captain, set course home?” The first mate appeared at his side, no less traumatized by the unexplained phenomenon.

“No!” Morrison said sharply and pointed toward the sailing ship far beyond their reach with a quivering finger. “Follow them. Give chase until we reach them. Then, put as many holes in the bloody ship as possible. I will watch it sink before my eyes or else I will follow it under.”

 

* * *

 

There was silence spread across Death Blossom as it emerged from the fog onto the murky water. The waves were calm, letting the wind tug the sails toward the direction that had no importance as of this moment. The ship still had a few wounds to fix if honored a chance, otherwise it would show off the scars to all passing ships as if asking them to share the sorrow.

Gabriel stood by the railing with Amelie, whose arms were crossed across her chest, the wind playing with her hair as she refused to say anything at first. Only when their eyes met, she gave in to the courtesy of letting her lips part and produce words.

“You done well, Reyes. You’re lucky the newcomers didn’t see it.” She nodded toward the cabin where Angela and Lucio rested. The pirates’ medic managed to bandage the herbalist’s leg and his side, while Ziegler only needed a few patches on her blood-covered hands. The stress from the past events worn them out enough for the two to fastly fall asleep in the captain’s bed which was big enough to hold three individuals upon the covers. Reyes surely liked his space where he could freely spread his limbs and relax before beginning the day anew.

“I had no other choice. Besides, a few were lost from the crew.” Gabriel replied grimly, his eyes turning away from Widow’s as he watched the night’s sky darken and expose millions of flickering stars that dances in their places. He took a deep breath, wishing that there was another way, alas he had to do what he had to do. HIs crew came first, then everything else.

“Not counting all those that lost their lives in Nassau.” Amelie commented, summoning a deep growl from the captain as his grip on the railing tightened to the point of his knuckles turning white.

“Sacrifices have to be made.” He whispered and closed his eyes,

“Where is the other woman?” Widow suddenly asked as her head lifted from the realization that she remembered a trio instead of a pair. “The short one.” The French woman caught Gabriel’s lingering eyes, lowering her voice as she understood what happened.

“She didn’t make it. I saw her as I was rushing to get away from the house. She sleeps in peace.” Reyes concluded quietly before lowering his head to press against his arms.

“Captain.” McCree slowly approached the pair, his expression exhausted and pale. The rest of the crew hid under the deck, wishing to rest freely for a while before they will have to fix the sail and think of where to make a stop to repair the ship and get a week's worth of supplies that were lost in the short battle.

“I know.” Gabriel looked over his shoulder to spot a ghostly figure of a ship in the distance. “Let them follow. They won’t stay on our tail for long.” The captain pushed away from the railing and brushed his fingers over the smooth wood as if thanking Death Blossom for suffering through the horror she had to go through today.

“What’s our destination?” Jesse blinked and yawned as he couldn’t keep his tiredness a secret anymore.

“Cursed Islands.”

* * *

**Divinity - Original Sin**

 

The night fell unto the wounded land and crumbled city that slowly began to regain its sanity. The events of the past hours were nothing but a nightmare that would leave a deep scar in the minds both young and old. The houses would take a few weeks to repair, but those that lost their families and loved ones will never receive back what they watched vanish under the cannon fire. Another night of tears, another reason to despise the English Crown and wish that everything would end one day, although everyone knew that after one conflict comes another.

Those that survived walked toward the beach to watch the ships in the distance, silently cursing them as they joined hands, sharing last pieces of faith in the fragile mercy that was granted to them. Their eyes looking toward the sky, counting stars as to keep their minds away from the gruesome images of the city Nassau was once proud of. Tomorrow will be a new day, a brighter light will fall upon the broken bones of former colorful structures. The square that they danced on once was now a mess of red and black, bodies lying under the  piles of ripped silks that were used by cunning dancers. Now, their feet would never kiss the ground upon every hop, their smiles wouldn’t brighten the exhausted sailors, and their voices will fail to outsing the birds.

Further to the east, an abandoned clinic the garden of which was once a gem to gaze upon. There, under wooden planks and glass, a body of a woman rested enjoying the quietness after the screams have calmed. Her eyes, matching the glass of her shattered spectacles, looking upward toward the cloudless sky. She too counted stars along with the men and women on the beach, her hand motionless with her palm facing up as if reaching out to touch the glistening dots. Her frozen lips, slightly parted as words were frozen on her cold tongue, never to speak a word.  She became a part of the cloudless indigo, her mind long gone from the world she once embraced with all her joy and worry. Her thoughts ceased, her dreams have extended their time in order to become eternal; her eyelids slowly shut and there she was, sinking into long-lasting anticipated sleep.  


_“One day, I wish to watch the night sky pass on by without a single worry in my heart. The whole night of just enjoying how the world is: still and beautiful.”_

_“I think I will share that wish with you.”_

_“No Angela. You will not; your clock will continue turning, while my time has stopped.”_

  
**_I forbid you to die._ **


	7. They Once Wished for a Miracle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When paranormal enters the world of mortals, the time and space shivers with change. As the two ships sail away, they fail to realize that the forbidden land has opened its arms and now expects the lingering guests.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since the last chapter. But the writer's block is gone and I finally found the power to finish chapter seven. This chapter jumps perspectives a few times as well.

 

_Sister, oh Sister where might they be,_

_The ones that we follow on land and the sea._

_Their hands touch the waves and the wheel of a ship,_

_Their captains rule boldly with a treat and a whip._

_Sister, oh Sister, why must you go,_

_When we spread over here enjoying the show._

_Why must you help, oh Sister of blue,_

_Why must you care for the damned mortal crew?_

_Answers us, Sister, while you are strong,_

_Forget the cursed Devil and join our song._

_We put them to sleep at the end of the day,_

_So why must you pull them away from the bay?_

 

**VII**

**Tʜᴇʏ Oɴᴄᴇ Wɪsʜᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴀ Mɪʀᴀᴄʟᴇ...**

 

He closed his eyes, the soft eyelashes caressed by the countering wind that softly blew onto his face. His hair, gathered with a soft golden ribbon, swayed slightly as if trying to flirt with the morning breeze. The dawn was quite the sight to observe as the lilac met the creamy yellow, bouncing against each other to mix into a new pattern of pastel. Even with the darkness from his eyelids, he could still see every color that surrounded him: from the approaching blue from the south, to the scarlet of the sails that tamed the playful element and now used its power to tug the wide ship along the endless azure.

The time barely mattered, in fact, on this vessel nothing of the present was taken to accord. The ship came and went as it pleased, gathering only the necessary resources and stopping at locations that were barely inhabited by strangers. It felt like only the chosen ones were allowed to step on board of the grand Southern Wind with history of oblivion. Every lad became a part of a family the bond of which was transparent but stronger than any knot of the rope that so painfully burned when mistreated. However, only two of the large crew remained a mystery to the rest, adding secrets and wonders with their very appearance.

“Captain, where must we sail now?” A careful boatsman approached the calm man that stood by the railing nearby the wheel. The man opened his eyes and slowly turned his head to regard the crewman over his strong broad shoulder.

“North.” His voice was quiet but strong, the hidden power spilling from within and sending an invisible shudder through the counterpart. The captain noticed how uncomfortable the other became, but his eyes remained dark and sharp as he regarded further.

“West!” A sudden, much brighter than the previous, voice came from the steps that led to the captain’s bridge. “I think we should go west. We always keep going north, how about a nice change?” A man in a black robe with green accents soon appeared in the view of both men, a grin playing on his young face as he crossed his arms over his chest. The captain took a deep breath, his heavy stoicness refusing to fall and deepening as his decision was yet again opposed.

“There is nothing in the west. We will waste our time.”

“How do you know, brother? Have you been to the west?” The man smirked as he approached, placing his hand on the shoulder of the boatsman and giving it a reassuring squeeze, visibly relaxing him from the invisible chokehold of the expressionless captain.

“The visions told me.”  The captain replied and finally decided to turn fully to face the uninvited guest.

“Visions? Don’t tell me you are using the dragons again? Hanzo, if you keep letting them loose they will scare all of the sailors!” The man struggled not to melt into sheer laughter as he regarded his brother. His dark eyes moved to look at the sailor that was awaiting the final order and tapped on his back. “West. Set the ship to the west.”

“Genji,I said, Nor-”

“Ah-ah. _West._ ” The younger brother smiled and lightly pushed the boatsman toward the stairs as to signal that he had to notify the rest of the crew and prepare for work.

“Must you always ruin the course?” Hanzo frowned, his face darkening with irritation.

“Ruin? I am making it more interesting.” Genji shrugged, his eyes following the thin line of the horizon. “I hate the silence. I want more adventures.”

“I enjoy the silence.” The older Shimada countered as he walked over to the wheel, sending the sailor in charge of it away. His hands grasped the edges firmly as he steadied the vessel.

“Well, perhaps you will find everlasting silence at the bottom of the ocean.” Genji eyed his brother in a split moment of pause as he knew that he took it a bit too far. “Come, let it be a change once in awhile. I bet the dragons already gave birth to legends.” He chuckled and joined Hanzo by his side, overlooking the deck that began to set itself in motion. The other Shimada simply rolled his eyes and turned the wheel to slowly turn the Southern Wind to the west as Genji so wished for.

“There can only be one captain, brother. I hope you remember that.” Hanzo threw a brief side glance at his counterpart before returning forward. Genji didn’t give him an answer for a long while as they both listened to the rising hums of upcoming shanties of the sailors below.

“I know.” A whisper came a few moments later as Genji turned away from his brother, his eyes watching the distant land that they used as their break location a night ago. “Until then let us have some fun, agreed?” With that, the brother grinned over his shoulder while Hanzo only shook his head without sparing a gaze.

“Until then.” He echoed and began to rain orders to the crew that was enchanted in unison as they moved to prepare the Southern Wind for its unknown journey.

 

* * *

“Dance.”

And she did. From one side to the opposite; hopping onto one rock and onto another, ignoring the heat from the merciless sun that only seemed to add to her energy.

“Sing”

And she did. Her voice louder than the rising birds, the kind of tune that many would consider witchcraft. Perhaps, even Neptune decided to bless the land with a beauty that only lives deep in the abyss.

“Speak.”

And she fell silent. Her large eyes, the irises of purple, staring at the sailor as if he just insulted her performance. The man blinked, obviously taken aback by the reaction. If only he had known that individuals like her don’t speak freely with strangers that asked them to perform. The possibility of her seeing him again was equal to impossible, thus bothering to start a conversation was against the law of her kind.

“Miss?”

Her eyes flickered from his chest to his face, examining each battle scar that added to his complexion, not sure whether it matched his ragged clothing or wondering temper. Either way, her dancing ceased, her body froze in a mid-motion that was a prep for something much larger: a grand finale.

“What is your name?”

Spoiled human folk; they always have to possess a name to be well acquainted with someone. Why did it matter? She didn’t have a name but at the same time, she was mentioned as many. People had odd traditions, alas she couldn’t help but become drawn by curiosity of finding out more about one or another. It would take centuries to learn all the wise in the world so big but she had all the time she needed and she didn’t waste it like the rest of her family that complained about those same people being an ill influence.

“Miss? May I have your name?” The sailor repeated again, but she did not answer.  She didn’t need to because he knew who she was. His eyes gave it away: the sheer look of horror and fascination, a gaze she earned repeatedly as her feet buried in the hot sands of any shore she stepped onto.  

It was then when she smiled. A soft glow of playfulness in her eyes as she slowly turned her body toward the ocean that was already calling her back. She took a deep breath and released a soft sigh that soon turned into a long melodic hum. The sailor became quiet again, surely entering the former trance again, alas this time she didn’t care for his reaction because she found him dull. What could this man give her that was new? He was just like the rest of them: boring and predictable.

She knew that in the next moments he would approach her, try to reach for her nude damp shoulders, and pull her back to inquire as to why she suddenly looked superior to the rest of his kind. She would tilt her head, their eyes meeting while silence would embrace the air, making it hard to breathe. She would slowly reach upward with the same peculiar smile on her lips and touch the tip of his nose. Then, he would be gone, his soul reminding heavens of his once foolish existence. His body would be hard to find since this side of the beach had been abandoned for months, but when it might become discovered, there would be nothing left of it. All would vanish except for a small golden watch with an odd carving of a skull to remind that the sea was watching.

Always.

 

* * *

 

The waters have never been so calm.  For Junkrat, there had to be conflict every single moment he would throw his gaze upon the horizon. The sun was already crawling upward announcing the new morning, a start of a new day and a new hunt. However, his task was far away from hunting the royal ships that usually patrolled the borders of the England. Today was the day where Jamison had to plan out his every move, each stroke of the wheel sending his ship into different angles of approach.  He had to find the myth itself and hunt down a ship that was only a  legend on the pages of the book that he so generously gave to Gabriel.

The Southern Wind was believed to be a ship of an exceptional taste; the kind of vessel that was made for one captain only with no chance of yielding to anybody else. They say only a Shimada can control the eerie dragons, similarly, only a Shimada can be the head of the ship. The ancient clan was devastated now by the war in their homeland, alas their power still outstretched its hands toward the seas, choking it with its might.

It was also known, from his personal remarks, that the vessel was to hang out by the coasts of South Africa and even reaching the islands east of India. But if his memory was correct, Widowmaker mentioned that to find the Shimada brothers Jamison will have to explore the forbidden waters of the Cursed Islands, which was where the pirate had to draw the line.

Cursed Islands earned its adjective for a reason and there was no way Jamie would risk his gorgeous Rat to overcome the obstacles of getting there in the first place. It would be easier for him to against an armada of man-o-wars. The rumored storms and colossal whirlpools that swallow even the fortress-like vessels. Life was too eager to please him with the booty he earned each month and Junkrat refused to lose this luxury, alas, on the other hand, he had no choice. Gabriel said that there was a war coming, the battle that many pirates were anticipating since the Royal Navy started showing its temper more frequent. Battle of who will possess the seas became almost a divine symbol of freedom that each pirate sworn to have as they abandoned their past and took on a new personality. The day Jamie retrieved the envelope from the messenger man-o-war was the day when the end began.

Ink dribbled onto the parchment of something of no importance. Jamison’s head was occupied far too much that he barely cared to recount the amount of gold his ship held. He decided to spend a half of it to upgrade Rat’s surroundings in order to make her swifter. The pale orange sails and a new ram guaranteed a fast victory against slow-paced English vessels and the wild rogue waves that appeared frequently around the dangerous currents.

“You’ve been staring at the candle for an hour now.” Mako’s voice was like thunder in the middle of a sunny day, enough to awaken Fawkes from his serious wonders. Jamie blinked a few times, his expression unchanging which surprised his partner. Never had he seen the captain so serious even when the times on Rat became rough due to a shortage in supplies or a large hole in the hull.

“Cursed Islands, bucko.” The pirate smirked in reply, though his eyes remained painfully cold.  He tapped the sharp end of his quill against the ruined papers before sending it back into its ink pot. “What do you know about them?”

“Just as much as you do.” Roadhog blinked, the mask over his face quivering slightly as he let out a sharp breath, his large stomach rising as he entered the same thoughtful atmosphere as the captain. Perhaps the brute didn’t look like a man that would doubt and waste time on wondering about worldly topics, but despite his adoration to mayhem, he was wiser than anyone thought him to be.

“Are ye sure?” A thick brow arched in reply as Jamie cocked his head to the side, eyeing his right-hand man intently.

“You are hiding something from me.” Came the answer coated in distasteful tone.

“Tsk, never said that, mate.” Fawkes sighed and pressed his hands on top his paper-littered desk before elevating his body. The prosthetic hit the floor with a sharp sound that sent a heartbeat across the floor, continuing to do so as the man walked toward the window opposite of his bed.  Mako’s eyes followed him in silence as the larger man wished to figure out on his own just what the captain meant. There were barely any secrets between the partners in crime; they shared the treasures evenly and murdered equally. Sometimes, they even held silent competitions where they would count the heads of all their victims in the end.

“What is it then?” Mako shook his head, clearly getting annoyed by Junkrat beating around the bush.

“Well. You know how the books say the Cursed Islands are supposed to be the home of Shimadas?” Roadhog only nodded while Jamison began his cunning explanation; The captain paced from side to side, rubbing his chin that was covered in light stubble. He took a deep breath and seemed to melt into a satisfied grin still a mystery to his first mate. “Turns out, the islands are just a destination. They really don’t live there, but use it as some kind of...shelter.”

“Shelter?”

“Yes. Like Nassau or Port Royal, but instead, Cursed Islands.” Jamie clicked his tongue and hovered over the spread map on his desk. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the large red circle embracing a small area on the Atlantic where the islands were assumed to be.

“Why of all places?” Mako slowly approached, carrying his weight until he reached the desk. Jamie eyed the man for a moment as he extended the anticipation; his fingers toyed with the corner of the map, gently bending it from one side to another as he took a deep breath.

“ ‘Cause no one else goes there. Who knows, maybe the Cursed Islands are just a myth that helps to keep anyone away from it. I see it as a perfect location for rest when the royal dogs and other pirates refuse to visit it.” Junkrat felt fulfilled with his explanation, his eyes becoming clearer as he also believed in his newly formed theory.

“Hm. And what of the storms?” Mako inquired, doubt rising in his voice as he, a man who believed in paranormal very much, considered a few rumors too strong to be proven wrong. “Every time someone approaches the islands, they have to beat the horrific weather.”

“We beat horrific weather every week, mate.” Jamie shrugged, running his hand through his dim hair that begged for bathing. “The weather down south isn’t a friendly one, and me thinks the islands are in the center of this mess.”

“What about the missing sailors?” The questioning continued, eyes meeting briefly as the captain began to appear more irritated.

“Sailors die all the time in the ocean like mozzies, mate.” Jamie groaned, shaking his head. “Besides, ships sink.”

“You don’t say?” Mako huffed, the attitude of his captain finally translating into his own mood. The two of them simply tried to figure out if the Cursed Islands were so cursed after all, but in reality, Jamison simply wished to find a good enough excuse to keep away from that place. “What of the creatures there? Kraken, sirens, dragons-”

“Oi!” Jamie slammed his palm against the table and glared up at the taller man. “I say that’s all a lie!”

“But do you believe that it’s a lie?” There was a moment of pause as both men stared at each other. Jamie retreated away, his eyes cast downward at the map, staring at the red mark once again but never focused.

“Nay.” He shook his head and sighed, gazing up at his first-mate. “Not at all. I speculate neither do you.” Mako only shrugged, breathing heavily behind his mask as he sunk in thought.

“We live in a strange world. I say things are still possible, and you know it.”

“I do.” Junkrat complied, lowering back into his chair, fingers interlacing together on his lap as he softly tapped his prosthetic against the floor. Roadhog watched him intently, already knowing the reason why such argument appeared in the first place. He knew that Jamie was known as a fearless captain, but only Mako knew the real him as well as the beloved of the different continent.

“You don’t want to go there even though Reyes told you?” Mako crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head as he was disappointed in the captain’s decision to avoid the islands. He had to admit, he was anticipating a rather bloody battle there with creatures only known in the books.

“Reyes didn’t tell me anything! I simply said that I was goin’ back to India, hoping to cross the damn Shimadas on the way.”  Junkrat slammed his fist against the wall behind him, irritated by his own foolishness. His mind traced back to Widowmaker who mysteriously found her way into his cabin without Roadhog noticing as well as giving him information that he had written in his notes so many times before. Of course, it was rumored that the infamous pirates did come to the Cursed Islands a lot, alas Jamison never saw someone remind him of that fact with such determination. It was as if Amelie _knew_ they would be there.

“You are doubting your course, captain. What should I say to the rest of the crew?” Roadhog asked calmly after a moment of silence; he knew that the young pirate counted days till he could see his beloved mermaid of the east, as he called her, but there were importances more pressing.

“I suddenly doubt everything, aye.” Jamie admitted with a heavy sigh. The work of a pirate, the art of theft, false politics, and killing wasn’t something taken lightly. While lowly skilled bandits fixed on becoming richer, the generation of the Four Infamous was the darker side of the shining cursed coin. The pirates that came from high-class societies and simple docks knew the world how it was, without following the dream of once being titled as the world’s dangerous criminals. Originally, none of them wished to become what they were, well, perhaps Junkrat that always desired to sink the Royal Navy’s vessels ever since he was ten. People like Gabriel and the fearless Zarya considered their job a curse, but while one was the very definition of it, the other rather found a way how to fight for their home and people no matter how cruel it was.

“I suggest we stay to the original course: India.” Mako suggested, finally breaking the silence yet again. Jamison’s eyes darted to him, they held their gazes a moment longer before the captain delivered a short nod.

“India it is. Aim toward the same route as before. Maybe the rogue waves will cure this bloody melancholy of mine.” The man whispered and motioned for his first-mate to leave him alone to which Mako complied quickly. Once the man left, Junkrat slouched over the maps for the tenth time this evening and eyes the circled location of the infamous islands. “This is not worth it. I ain’t losing Rat to you, bastard.” He hissed as if talking to the cursed location in person before shoving the map off the table, knocking a short candle along of it. It landed on top of the paper, managing to light its corner that immediately caught on fire. Jamie didn’t move, his eyes simply watched the flame devour and destroy the map as a symbol that he made the right decision and didn’t turn his ship around.

 

* * *

 

“Do you believe in miracles, I asked her, and she said somethin’ along the lines of me being too drunk or too charmin’. Well, I knew that already, but the question was rather important. And so I sat there, explaining her the worries in my heart. Ya know what she said to me, darlin’? She said that I was but a jester. A jester!”

“A jester without a queen.”

“Or a king! ‘Cause I got none, that true. I don’t need a damn royalty watching over me. I am free to do whatever I want. And she still refused to tell me whether she believed in miracles or not, so ya know what I told her? I told her it will take  a miracle to find a man dull enough to marry her!”

“What an aggressive remark, Jesse, and to a woman.”

“She deserved it.”

 

Three hours passed since Death Blossom escaped Nassau’s slaughtering scenery, and yet the faint silhouette of the distant Ana refused to leave their sights. Morrison’s ship pursued them wave by wave, denying the atmosphere of calmness and forcing everyone to silently pray for the wind to blow with luck. There was dead silence on the ship as the crewmen refused to speak after what occurred. Some of them saw blood for the first time today, others regarded the phenomenon of the dark transformation that forced the ship shift places no matter of time and space. It was peculiar to them, but they remembered Gabriel’s warning of unexplainable and terrifying the moment they would step onto the ship. They knew whose flag they sailed under and whom they sold their souls to for protection and endless seas.

The sails dilated slightly, but the pace of the ship remained strong. Only McCree and Widomaker sat at the nose of the ship, talking lively as the heavy mood was affecting their overall well-being. Poor doctor and her herbalist hid in the captain’s cabin after being shocked several times, thankfully never seeing Gabriel’s wraith transformation; otherwise, they would refuse remaining further on the ship. Angela was rumored to be afraid of vessels and sailing far distances, but after watching her clinic and home shatter like fragile glass, she became mute and said nothing since the captain brought her here. Lucio showed his face once, asking for water and refusing any meals, explaining that Miss Ziegler was in a rather foul mood to even look at anything that concerned filling her stomach.

“She sees their scarred faces before her eyes and keeps apologizing to thin air as if their ghosts torment her.” The attentive gardener whispered to Gabriel that stood over the doors with a crewman by him holding a crystal glass of drinkable liquid. “I do not speak to her. I am afraid to.”

“The doctor will need time.” Reyes assured; he was never keen on the aspect of making people feel better. The very idea of comforting someone that saw things he had seen every day was foreign to him. The pirate was used to loss, but Angela wasn’t. Now that even her dear partner Mei perished under shards and ashes, it was only a wonder when anyone on the ship would see that bright angelic smile that seemed to be a signature symbol of the medic.

“I do appreciate you, sir. Without your help, we would be joining...joining our dear friend there under the sheet of gray and red.” Lucio looked down at his dirty hands, still trembling from the seen horrors. Gabriel slowly reached out to place his hand over the younger man’s shoulder.

“Do you play, boy?” He asked, his voice falling to nearly a whisper. “Any musical instruments in particular?”

“Y-yes. I play a violin, a flute, and a guitar even…” The herbalist murmured, unsure why the question was brought up to slice the subject into a different stream.

“Perfect. If it won’t be a bother, would you mind playing tonight at supper?” Gabriel’s eyes narrowed as he watched the man closely, the edge of his bandana sliding slightly onto his temple as he came loose during his confrontation with Jack. Lucio slowly nodded but remained hesitant.

“If my hands stop shaking, sir, I shall play on whatever instrument you have. May I...May I ask why?”

“Music soothes the soul and relaxes the body. The mind in enchanted and you may forget all that is present for a moment. That split second of pure euphoria what brings even the most nervous to full confidence.” The captain spoke as if quoting some famous prose of an anonymous author, his hand tapping the sailor by his side to silently give him an order to bring the water to his cabin as the lady was waiting for it. The man complied and soon vanished behind the doors which Gabriel watched attentively before leaning toward Lucio. “Perhaps Miss Ziegler will feel better as well as you.”

“It’s a w-wonderful idea, sir.” Lucio smiled weakly, his former optimism sadly perished but a spark of hope began to dance in his once playful gaze. “I shall play until my hands break off.”

“Very well. Even in a chase, we will have music playing on our ship. Hopefully, the enemy hears it well enough to realize that Death Blossom is nothing to be taken lightly. He smirked, recalling the wondrous repositioning he used to trick Ana and her canons; it was something he had to address to the rest of the crew later, perhaps when the doctor and her assistant went to bed. “Now go. She needs to more than ever now.” With that, both men shook hands, and the captain led his way toward the front of the ship where the familiar pair sat chatting about things of their own. He arched his brow as he entered the conversation at a rather awkward time.

“...i’d rather kiss a mermaid’s tail than befriend someone so ignorant.” Jesse’s voice rose slightly as he began talking about his preferences in acquaintances.  Amelie noticed Gabriel’s approach but refuse to give him her attention as both of them were more focused on Jesse’s empty speech.

“Than mermaids simply don’t exist because you became your own friend, McCree.” Gabriel smirked as he crossed his arms over his chest, standing nearby the pair, and visibly startling the young man. Jesse huffed and nearly lost balance on his side of the railing, grasping onto his hat as he sharply turned his head to the captain

“Aren’t you a jokester tonight, captain. Seems like the battle awakened your inner joy.”

“Well, I always awaken during a good battle, even if the winner is not yet determined.” Reyes shrugged, summoning a side smirk on Amelie’s lips as she remained silent, already prepared for the usual bickering of the captain and his first mate.

“The Devil himself awakened today.” Jesse replied grimly, his eyes studying the captain’s strong expression. McCree never liked to see Gabriel use this odd power of his, the ghostly silhouette that could relocate large vessels and make him invincible against any deadly force. It was terrifying and took a long time for the youngster to get used to. Reyes was perhaps exactly the reason why the first mate believed in paranormal and creatures that only appeared in stories. Sometimes, the gunslinger even doubted why was he on this ship surrounded by fear of being the next one whose soul would be taken by the darkness. It was as if Death Blossom was a cursed, caging everyone in its strong and invisible embrace. Jesse didn’t like it, he wished to be free, isn’t it why he joined Gabriel’s crew in the first place? The captain helped him escape a death sentence back in the prison of New Orleans, promising that on his ship McCree would find exactly what he was looking for, alas it’s how it was for the first year before Gabriel suddenly began showing off unusual powers, almost demonic as it seemed. He tried to find an explanation, scanning one book after another in libraries of cities that the ship has stopped at, but never finding the perfect definition rather than the legends of the infamous Davy Jones. It was odd. It was wrong. It was his new life.

And he did not like it, not anymore at least.

“Captain, shall I prepare the supper?” A cook suddenly appeared from nowhere, his dirty apron swaying in the soft wind as he stood by the trio, his gaze glued to the Gabriel. The taller man turned his head and nodded slowly, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

“Yes. Go ahead. I must go and speak with Miss Ziegler first, though I doubt she is hungry. Also,” he snapped his fingers at the passing sailor that stopped immediately, his eyes widening as he stared at Reyes. “Bring my guitar and a flute from lower docks. We shall have a peaceful evening today.”

“A flute? Didn’t know that you decided to make a solo concert, Gabriel.” Jesse smirked and pushed back against the railing. The captain shot him a side glance and shook his head at the younger male.

“I am not playing alone. Lucio will join me. It’s time we lift up the spirits on board.”

“Just like you lifted the ship?” McCree gave the other a dark, almost dangerous, gaze as it was clear he disapproved of it. Of course, Gabriel’s power did save them from inevitable loss, but to Jesse it was almost as cheating. The captain had a clear advantage over anyone who was but a simple human. Where was the thrill of battle, the sweet taste of victory after an exhausting fight if the opponent suddenly began to play God?

Reyes did not acknowledge his comment, he simply ignored it like so many times before. Jesse caught Amelie’s eyes; the woman was staring, glaring even, at him but the pirate only smirked and tipped his hat. He didn’t care what she thought of the captain, if anything, he knew that deep inside she shared the same idea with him even though it seemed like she and Gabriel were rather close.

“What about Ana?” The sailor asked as he nodded toward the ghostly silhouette of the man-o-war in the distance. Gabriel only shook his head and shrugged back in his reply.

“She is far away from us and she will not break our minds. Do not worry. Tonight we may relax before speeding up away. They will soon lose us before they realize it. Now go.”

“Yes, sir.” The cook and the sailor nodded their heads in unison before vanishing; it was then when Gabriel turned around to send his gaze downward at his first-mate, his expression calling that of a stone.

“If you are so disturbed by a wraith, Jesse. You may leave.” He said calmly, but his voice was heavy along with his eyes. McCree understood right away that the captain was becoming fed up with the man’s constant remarks every time this happened. Jesse held his gaze, seemingly forgetting how to blink as the shadow from his hat made his face more sinister.

“I am not the only one, Captain.” Jesse replied slowly, making sure his every word sunk into the man’s skull and wrapped around his consciousness. “With pleasure.” He added as he stood up, ignoring Widowmaker’s voice of protest as she called his name. This time he refused to acknowledge anything further as he walked passed Gabriel, the edge of his shoulder hitting against the captain to prove his further point of feeling uneasy on Death Blossom. Once he was gone, Reyes turned his attention to the remaining French woman who simply moved her golden gaze upward to the other. They remained so for a moment or two before Gabriel’s lips parted and his voice rumbled from within his chest.

“Set the course east, chief officer Lacroix.”

 

* * *

“Brother, must you linger so far away?”

“I was looking for a ship, brother.”

“Have you found anything?”

“Yes. I did. Look, there on the horizon, two ships chase away toward the setting sun. You know exactly what that means, don’t you?”

“A feast?”

“Precisely.”

“Ah. Must we go now?”

“Nay. By night we take the English one. By day, the other.”

“Why the English one first?”

“Because there is a spirit on the second one. We cannot touch him if we remain ghosts ourselves.”

“Whose blood do you wish to let the sharks imbibe first?”

“That one at the wheel. The blond one.”

“Shall he smile for us?”

“Oh, he shall.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is my new project I launched today as well. (No i will not abandon Siren's Song)  
> One-shot request info: http://sinning-cupcake.tumblr.com/post/156283431949/its-time-for-me-to-expand-my-muse-and-have-some


	8. The Song of The Guardian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Death Blossom is peaceful tonight. Alas, there is something coming, something that lingers in the distance of the horizon. Ana continues to pursuit, the Cursed Islands remain a mystery, and the dragons keep roaring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How long has it been? I am ashamed to admit I've been late with the chapter, and yet, here I am with a promise that things will only get better from here. Sirens continue to sing and we sail again.

 

**VIII**

**Tʜᴇ Sᴏɴɢ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ Gᴜᴀʀᴅɪᴀɴ**

 

 

McCree stood silently at the edge of the railing, eyes glued to the ship far away. The man-o-war was massive even in the distance as the fog began to envelop it along with Death Blossom. He wondered, why was the life of a pirate so repetitive when it came to getting involved in a battle. Like a routine, Jesse was forced to watch their shipmates fight, Gabriel pay a ghostly visit to the captain, and if he failed to kill him, set the course to chase away and then destroy. Each time, he observed Gabriel use the damn Devil power he had, never explaining where exactly did it come from. 

Some speculated that Reyes was born from a witch that performed some demonic sacrament in order to produce the most exquisite killer, others said he was around the world for a long time, some demon from the underworld of a Biblical nature. But those were just fairy tales created to shut the subject every time a newly required fish inquired. Jesse never let go of it, however, but he never received an answer either. It was making him sick, serving some mysterious captain that no one truly knew about. How was that fair? The gunslinger chose to leave, and he had the freedom to do it, alas he didn’t know where to go. 

An abandoned island was not an option and the ship just left the closest port. Besides, there was no time for a stop since the Death Blossom was chased by an armed elite vessel. All Jesse required was a golden opportunity to hop off this cursed ship and onto another. Merchants perhaps that would bring him back to the hot pirate locations where McCree would find a new captain to serve under, though he would miss his honorable spot as second-in-command that, as he heard from a fast-moving rumor,  Widowmaker received immediately as he unofficially resigned. 

“Talk about loyalty.” Jesse huffed, looking over his shoulder to notice the Frenchwoman making her way to the wheel and grasping it with her hardship-trained fingers. He was jealous of course, but he made the decision, and he thought it was right.  Amelie knew Reyes better than anyone on this ship, besides there was something between those two that bonded them by their dark souls rather than simple titles. The rumor goes that the two of them were involved in massive killings in England, coming close to a genocide, alas myths remained myths with no confirmation. Not that Jesse cared anymore, he wanted to get away from Death Blossom as soon as possible and put behind the long years of blind dedication. 

“The supper’s ready Captain!” The cook notified from the lower deck, summoning a collective groan from the crew that seemed to come alive from the good news. Reyes emerged from nowhere, his dark eyes scanning the deck that began to fill with the crew, their hungry murmurs praising the cook’s swift preparation of a meal. It was quiet however, no one dared to touch their plates as the waited for the guests of the ship to enter first before their Captain could give a single to begin. 

Angela exited slowly, opening the door of the quarters and letting Lucio be the first one to face endless pairs of eyes. Her face was pale, the former glowing azure in her eyes vanished and substituted by a ghost of the tragedy. She still heard Mei’s voice in the back of her head, calling her name and speaking of the stars both of them once pondered upon. Their bickering was mostly made out of little missions they wished to accomplish and who could’ve done it faster. It was that silliness that now beat Mercy down with its large wings that spread over her existence. As a dark cloud enveloping her former glory and kindness, the medic looked like a ghost that was denied eternal rest.

She approached the tables slowly, remarking the speed with which they were put out. It seemed just a second ago the deck was clean and silent, but now it was filled with men of Death Blossom’s crew, empty plates sitting before them as a hint that a grand feast was coming. A quiet one. 

“Miss Ziegler.” Gabriel’s voice seemed to come out of nowhere, forcing Angela to slowly look up as if everything was in slow motion. They held each other’s eyes for a moment before the tall captain gestured to a chair at the head of the table, nodding his head. “Please, sit down and eat with us.” With that, he stepped away, watching as the doctor’s feet moved lethargically, heels echoing softly against the dull wood before she lowered herself into the seat. She didn’t dare to gaze at the team, knowing all of them were staring at her now. 

“Thank you, Captain Reyes,” Angela whispered, earning a hum from the man before he cleared his throat, hinting for the crew to leave the medic alone. The rest listened immediately, turning their heads to observe Reyes as he grasped a guitar into his hands, sitting down next to Lucio that held a flute in his hands, waiting for a sign to start. 

“Tell me, Lucio, have you heard of the Song of the Guardian?” Gabriel inquired, hopping onto a barrel and leaning against the mast. The herbalist blinked a few times as his furrowed brows indicated his expediting thinking process. His eyes suddenly widened in a bright epiphany, a tired but soft smile appearing on his lips as he nodded his head. 

“Yes, it is very familiar to me. I used to play it back home before I met Angela.” 

“Wonderful. Play it with me.” Reyes chuckled in approval before he touched the strings of his guitar, attracting more attention meanwhile adjusting tuning the instrument. “Eat quietly.” The command came in a moment later, summoning a sigh of relief from the crew but nothing more. The silence was broken by soft movement of spoons and platters, no voice dared to spark a discussion as everyone listened. Angela didn’t touch a bite of food, her eyes were glued to the duo at the main mast of the ship that began to play a melody foreign to her knowledge. 

The guitar began to sing softly, strings vibrating under the pirate’s fingers, a flute joining him moments later in a syncing tune of the dancing notes. The song was soft, almost saddening as it seemed to plead for something in the distance of the dark horizon. It increased the volume at times before falling again into a murmuring whisper of sirens far away. Lucio took a deep breath, never failing at keeping the flute’s lullaby steady and gentle meanwhile Gabriel’s guitar worked to fill in those brief pauses of herbalist’s breath as if the tune never stopped. Angela wondered as she watched what the song was about, who was the guardian that it was raising its invisible hands to and asking for some guidance.

It was then when her eyes met with a pair of glowing golden orbs that watched her from the bridge at the wheel. Widowmaker stood silently, searching the medic as if she knew something that Angela didn’t. The doctor raised her eyebrow, but Amelie’s only response was to look away from the other woman, looking into the distance as she slowly turned the wheel to the right, letting Death Blossom softly take the course she had thought of. It was an odd gesture, but Mercy didn’t make much of it; her thoughts were too occupied with the melody and her own tragedy that made her heart sink deeper and deeper into her chest, decreasing in its size as her mind realized more and more just how cruel this world was. 

Yes, the town may have titled her as Mercy, the doctor that returned life to those that begged for it, but the cost for it finally caught up with her. She lost a close friend and it was a matter of time when she would lose more. Being here, on Death Blossom, didn’t settle a sense of peace and safety into the woman’s soul, it did exactly the opposite. How long does she have to wait until she would observe Lucio’s motionless body slowly descend to the bottom of the unforgiving sea? How long does she have to wait until she would join him? Pirates only expedited the process, especially when there was a Royal Navy’s elite vessel sailing after them. Time, time, time. Time was something she didn’t have no matter how much it seemed to fill the goblet of patience. 

Perhaps it was the sorrow filled tune or the realization of her misery that made Angela’s eyes fill with tears. Her head was hanging low, fingers intertwining in her lap as her shoulder softly trembled in a choked sob. She never cried in public, never showed her weakness on the field as she saw mothers call for their dead children, friends for their siblings, and beloved for the ghosts. But now, her chest couldn’t bear the burden of her own loss, a person who didn’t deserve to die, a person whose soul was purer than Angela’s. 

A heavy hand on her fragile shoulder startled the medic which made her sharply look up. The tune that was still playing reaching her ears once again, tearing her away from the silent world she tried to find peace inside. A tall young man stood by Mercy’s side, his dark eyes watching her with some thought as if he had been doing that for a while now. However, it wasn’t as penetrating as Widowmaker’s, which Angela was grateful for. 

“Jesse, correct?” She asked softly, noticing that the man was much younger than she expected. Perhaps in his late twenties? It amazed her how such a young lad made it to one of the most blood-thirsty pirate crews of the ocean’s endless horizons. Nonetheless, there were many more secrets here on Death Blossom that Angela was too scared to wonder about. 

“Yup, ya go it.” McCree grinned and squeezed her shoulder softly. “Don’t be crying at the table, sweetheart.” There was some odd charm about him that ceased the tears in Mercy’s eyes, making her carefully smile back even if it was a small and rather pitiful answer. She was in pain, the man knew it, but he discarded the principle of saying sorry a long time ago, thus he always moved forward. “Don’t worry, it’ll be alright.” He promised and ruffled her hair, a sign of his dedication to his promise before he walked off to the nose of the ship, clearly not wanting to participate in the feast. Mercy noticed that there was something between him and Reyes that upset both of them, summoning this sudden tension that unwelcomed their close presence. 

Her eyes followed him briefly, watching at the lad sat down at the railing, watching the ghosting silhouette of Anna in the distance. The former melody slowed down again, announcing its end in one big crescendo before silencing itself. The musical instruments were lowered and an applause exploded with whistling and cheering. Lucio bowed his head slightly, smiling to himself meanwhile the Captain of Death Blossom approached Angela, surprising the woman by the fact of remaining undetected. 

“You were crying.” He noted, looking down at her face. Angela cleared his throat and quickly wiped her cheeks. 

“The music was nice, it always makes me emotional.” She lied, shrugging off his remark. “Nothing more.” 

“You haven’t eaten.” Gabriel continued, giving his guitar to a passing pirate that long finished his meal and was eager to assist his captain. 

“I’m not hungry.” Angela retorted, crossing her arms. “I am in no need of a guardian to watch my diet.” 

“Said the doctor,” Reyes remarked, smirking at her as her face change into a pouting expression. There was a passing chuckle in the crowd of sitting sailors that began to grab bottles of rum and whiskey and leaving their seats to continue the feast. It was strange how none of them cared for the huge man-o-war still in pursuit of their ship, it was as if they already won the battle. 

“I didn’t know you were a musician, Mister Reyes.” Angela switched the dialogue, her eyes watching the pirates circling along Lucio who decided to join the fun of their tradition. The herbalist needed to relax, Mercy would’ve done the same thing if she was in his place. Sometimes, the best medicine of tragedy was to forget. 

“Gabriel.” The captain corrected, lowering into a seat next to the woman. “And I am not. I simply enjoy seeing the spirit of my crew rise under the strings of my music.” 

“What was that tune you played?”

“The Song of the Guardian. “ Gabriel crossed his arms, smiling at the sight of his crew crack jokes in the distance. His eyes briefly caught Amelie, still standing at the wheel of the ship. He knew that she changed their original course, he felt the ship shift to the west, precisely the direction of the Cursed Islands. Alas, the captain didn’t do anything about it; he knew his new first mate had a plan and he would trust in unconditionally no matter how dangerous it was.

“I don’t know I ever heard of it.” Angela confessed, her fingers sliding along the edge of the table, touching the hardened wood’s scars from unknown blades. It certainly used to be a training board of some kind before becoming what it was now. 

“It is a foreign song that comes from an unknown origin.” The man began, shutting his eyes briefly as his chest rose and fell with deep breaths, imbibing the salty air of the fresh ocean breeze that picked up to play with the crimson sails. “It tells a story of a Goddess of Protection that sworn to protect any soul both rogue and pure with the cost of her life. They call her Orisa, a creature of the land and the wind that spreads her arms to stop wars, revolutions, and aid the living that opposes conflict.” Gabriel explained, gesturing his hand somewhere into the darkness of the night. 

“Is she a saint?” Angela cocked her head to the side, wondering if this Orisa was described as a divine guardian angel she could simply discard as a creation of the Bible. The doctor didn’t believe in that, no matter how many times people called her their angel of life, a savior and a saint of Nassau. To her, every day was yet another prove that God, no matter of what belief, did not exist. 

“No,” Reyes shook his head. “Orisa also holds a title of the Goddess of War as sometimes to stop violence you have to become violent. The song I played today is rumored to bring peace and luck to a ship that honors the Goddess. They say it awakens her in a Temple that no one can find where she looks to the stars and picks one to shine specifically for that vessel. It may be only a myth, but the spirit of my crew seemingly rose.” Gabriel tossed a gesture toward the pirates that were dancing elbow to elbow along with Lucio whose flute began to play a quicker tune. They were having fun and it was enough to summon warmth in the doctor’s chest. After all, she only wished happiness to the rest of the world even with the price of her own. 

“Do you think she heard us?” Angela smiled, her eyes moving to the captain. The man only shrugged, repeating that a myth was called such for a reason. No one knew if the game of mortals and gods was real, but people always needed something to believe in, and if the Song of the Guardian boosted the morale, no one complained. 

“Captain, may I ask you something?” Angela whispered after the silence between them began to grow. She found it awkward, although the presence of the strong pirate captain added some reassurance to her case of doubting the safety of the ship. It seemed that under Gabriel’s fair reign, the crew was indeed in good hands. 

“Go on.” The man gave permission, turning his head slightly to graze her with his dark eyes. 

“How did you add Jesse to the crew?” The medic noticed the sudden shift in Gabriel’s expression. She understood that the two were bickering earlier by the way Reyes narrowed his eyes and scrunched his nose. A young lad was the troublemaker it was obvious. 

“Well, it was surely one hell of a story.” The pirated sighed, feeling Mercy’s interest perk up next to him.

“We have all night.” She said, and he couldn’t deny her; if his endless conversation took her mind away from Mei’s emotionless face and faded eyes, so be it. 

“It all began in New Orleans when England decided to deliver five executions at dawn…”

 

* * *

 

“Piss off, filthy beggar.” A privateer shoved his foot against a man whose hands were bound by poverty. He fell into the dirt that spread over the shadowed land after a night of rain that the breeze brought from the ocean. The beggar stared upward at his abuser, dark eyes spitting hatred before suddenly he felt a sword slice through his chest. His vision blurred, blood crawling out from the corners of his lips before streaming to his chin. His hands tried to grasp the blade that twisted within his flesh, ending his life short moments later. “I hate when they look at me like that.” The privateer spat, gesturing for the threesome of his men to follow him further to the large area of the gallows. 

This, at the main square, was where criminals faced their punishment once a year. It was like a festival, one of a kind, in which only the chosen most dangerous killers were picked by the Crown to be hanged and decapitated before a crowd of thousands. New Orleans, occupied by the French, found its growing profit in such a gruesome attraction. It was dishonoring, but people enjoyed watching the villains of the seas grasp the last bits of their miserable lives before fading from their former glory, no longer bathing in the fear of others. 

Today was a special day as the usual number of seven criminals was raised to eight. There was a newcomer, caught just a few nights before, that was a starring guest of the festival. No one knew his name as it wasn’t listed on the large painted poster, but it surely brought more attention to the square, particularly the kind that no one expected. 

“Joseph Jake.” The name was read off the list by a man dressed in pompous scarlet with accents of sky blue that irritated eyes. His French accent was thick, only understandable when he tried to read off names in English. It was a comical scene in which some believed he was doing it on purpose. “Crime: barbaric manners, defenestration of a noble, and theft. Sentenced to death.” 

And just as the orator finished, a quiet man was brought to the stage, summoning a wave of a shameful hubbub as the crowd expressed its distaste. Then, with a trigger of a lever, the infamous Joseph Jacobs was but a name to be forgotten and never written down into the books of history but criminal records that promised to slumber in the dust. 

“Emilia Helga Forak.” The Frenchman read slowly, nearly twisting his tongue on the pronunciation. “Crime: witchcraft, theft, relations with the Devil.” This time as a woman appeared on the podium, people began to throw various objects like rotten fruits and vegetables in hopes of hitting the woman before Death took her in a tight embrace. The criminal was in tears but her face remained emotionless as she knew what she did perhaps not the witchery but a simple task of science or something that looked like she was making bets with the forbidden. It was silly, but ignorance ruled these lands no matter how many books proved otherwise. Soon, her body was hanging down, feet never touching the ground as life left her body in a search of a better place to settle.

“Jesse McCree.” A name slipped from the announcer's tongue after three more people were killed. The crowd quieted down as they heard the starring guest’s title, eyes glued to the closed door where he was supposed to appear after the man in red was done reading. “Crime: murder, theft, assassination of Baron Gilbert Haan, assassination of Baroness Louise de la Grand, attempted assassination of the King of England, three robberies of the Royal Bank, a heist, attempted murder on-” The list continued, summoning gasps from the crowd as they noticed the announcer flip the page, never stopping. He began to sweat as he read off one murderous crime after another, not sure that the man behind the door was human. Once he finished, he gestured with his quivering fingers to the entrance that slowly opened revealing a young man, sixteen-seventeen years of age, with a smug smirk on his face and a hat casting a shadow over his face. He rose up the steps slowly, letting the crowd imbibe his being and remember a shadow that would haunt their nightmares. 

“How could you do all that and not feel guilty?” The spoiled orator hissed to the boy as he approached, his eyes searching him in disbelief. Jesse only looked up, his striking eyes narrowing in a sinister expression as his lips widened into a grin. 

“Ya know nothin’ of guilt, partner.” He spat into the announcer’s face, causing him to nearly tumble over in disgust as if the Devil had just licked his face. 

“Kill this boy!” He yelled in a high-pitched voice at the executioner who grabbed McCree by the elbow and tugged him toward the naked noose. 

“Not the first to tell me that, heh.” Jesse chuckled, hissing afterwards as his hat was ripped off his head and tossed behind him. He glared at the executioner through the brown strands of his hair. “That’s my favorite.”

“You won’t be needing it much longer.” The executioner smirked, grabbing the handle of the lever, but never pulling it. McCree’s eyes were glued to it, brow arching when the sour release of death never came. Slowly, his gaze crawled up the punisher’s broad apron to his head which was pierced by a thin arrow. His eyes widened, not sure of the scene as he cocked his head to the side. 

“The hell?” 

Suddenly the crowd began to spread yelling from one side to another, parting the clusters to reveal standing men in dark cloaks in the middle, naked swords in their hands. Jesse watched as one of them climbed the podium, slicing his sword across a the announcer’s neck and watching his head roll down the very steps McCree was forced to enter from. Then, the stranger turned his head to face the prisoner, closing in as he pulled off his hood to reveal a striking silhouette of a pirate with a red bandana binding his head. A few scars of his face spoke of grand battles that he won as well as the tight clothing with pistol holsters that were rapidly used. 

“Name.” The stranger inquired, his dark eyes sharper than his blood-covered blade. 

“Ya heard it.” Jesse replied sharply, trying to match heights with the taller man, hiding the fact that he was a bit intimidated. The counterpart noticed it, but only smirked at the tip of his blade pressed against McCree’s abdomen. 

“You have a choice, boy.” 

“That’s new.” Jesse cut off, grunting as he felt the blade press on, understanding that he should’ve kept his trap shut. 

“You die here, or you come with us.” The stranger continued meanwhile his men worked on killing every guard that surrounded the gallows. 

“Which means I would also die.” Jesse smiled, shaking his head at the other. 

“Yes, but at least you get to live longer.” The man chuckled, nodding to the roll of paper in the dead orator’s hands. “Those crimes yours?”

“Some of ‘em, though most belong to someone else. I was the one to be caught at the crime scene, that all.” 

“Making a name for yourself from the work of others, hm?”

“Fear is power, aye.” Jesse laughed, the noose choking his amusement however as it was tightly wrapped around his neck. 

“How about earning your own name with your own two hands, boy?” 

“Sounds tempting.” 

“Then come with me.” The stranger stated. “Or die here like the rats below.” His foot stumped, hinting on the bodies in a small carriage just below the deck that were promised a good burning after this was over. Jesse swallowed as best he could, scanning the man one more time as he noted that he was a powerful nature with an unbroken will and connections. 

“Do I get to sail?” McCree asked, gazing briefly toward the azure ocean. 

“Until your heart stops.” 

“Then deal. What should I call ya, partner?”

“Captain.” The stranger barked with a smirk, swiftly kicking the lever that released the door below Jesse’s feet, sending the boy downward with a fearful gasp. However, just before the rope would break his neck, the man cut it with his blade, granting McCree a soft landing into the carriage. A laughter followed distributed between the men that were a part of this rescue mission.  Jesse grumbling, spitting curses at them before he was approached by a tall woman with cold eyes. She cut the rope binding his wrists and released him from the chokehold. 

“You are lucky, ami.” The woman spoke, her accent much softer than the deceased announcer’s. It caressed Jesse’s ears, but he knew that that gentle touch was just a cover-up for a gruesome truth. “You will thank him yet again. Welcome to Death Blossom.” She added before walking off and joining the Captain that gestured for Jesse to follow. The square was covered in blood, the town’s citizens hiding in their homes as the watched from afar. It was a scene of a true massacre, something the Crown would record to pursuit later for years. McCree blinked a few times, pushing away from the cart as he began to chase down the road to catch up with his new home. 

“Death Blossom?” He inquired. “That the evil pirate bunch, eh?”

 

* * *

 

“You saved his life.” Angela smiled, her face lighting up as hearing stories of someone’s past was her way of finding peace in the war of her mind. She was more curious about how Gabriel, known to be merciless, managed to find so much sympathy for Jesse as well many more people the night of the Nassau massacre. Perhaps, Ziegler didn’t know of pirates as much as she thought she did. 

“I didn’t save him.” Reyes replied sharply, shaking his head at her statement before nodding toward the figure at the wheel, still loyal to the course of the unknown origin.  “She did?”

“Amelie?” Mercy’s eyes widened, her head cocking to the side as she dared to briefly gaze at Widowmaker. Thankfully, this time their eyes didn’t meet. It wasn’t that Angela was afraid of Gabriel’s crew or his new first mate, quite the opposite. But meanwhile Captain Reyes summoned respect in her, Widowmaker was a subject of discomfort. There was something in that golden gaze that made the doctor worry; it was as if Lacroix knew Angela’s deepest secrets and could spill them out with no hesitation. 

“Yes,” the Captain cleared his throat and crossed his arms yet again. “She heard a rumor that there was a criminal caught for felonies she committed. All those assassinations belonged to her, thus, she was curious who was stealing her fame and who was to pay for it.” Gabriel shrugged. “She convinced me to sail to New Orleans for the damn festival and you know the rest.”

“Did she convince you to take Jesse aboard?” Angela hummed, glancing at Amelie in disbelief as if the Frenchwoman seemed to be too cruel to save a life of someone who took away her fame of a killer. 

“Her and I agreed that the boy had potential. Besides, he’s a young lad with fire in his eyes. I decided that he deserved a second chance on his dark soul.” Gabriel chuckled and elevated his body, brushing his hands over his jacket before he gazed downward at the medic.  “You should rest. My cabin is at your leizure.”

“But what about you, Captain?” Mercy blinked in confusion, following the man’s example and getting up as well. Reyes only smirked at her and nodded toward the circling crew. 

“A good captain always finds time to spend with his crew. Tonight I will sleep below deck. Not the first time. It stregnthens the bond and spirit of the ship.”

“You speak like a nobleman.” Angela chuckled, though her smile faded as she saw the negative expression her comment summoned on Gabriel’s face. 

“I speak like an equal. My title is only eligible for orders to keep Death Blossom organized, otherwise, I am just a man among others.” He knew it was a lie considers the way he was: a ghostly wraith. Thankfully, it was a secret that the doctor would hopefully never find out. 

“Your actions are honorable, Captain.” Mercy smiled, her lips parting in a soft yawn as an indication that she was glad to follow Gabriel’s order. Her counterpart only smiled, rolling his eyes with a slight disagreeing nod. 

“You shouldn’t praise me too much, Miss Ziegler. I just might mistake it for an attempt to flirt.” 

“Oh how dare you.” The doctor laughed quietly, palming her lips before she took a step back, walking around the captain to make her way to the cabin. She stopped briefly, looking over her shoulder as she caught his dark eyes watching her closely. “I thought coquette wasn’t a term in a pirate’s vocabulary.”  She mused playfully. 

“I thought doctors aren’t allowed to jest with pirates.” Gabriel growled back, his lips still curved upwards. They both chuckled, holding each other’s gaze for another moment longer before Angela made her way inside the captain’s cabin, shutting the door quietly behind her. Reyes watched her until she vanished from his eyes, only now noticing that most of the crew was gone from the upper deck and the music Lucio played was ceased. It appeared to him that the herbalist decided to join the others downstairs, letting Angela have the privacy to herself. That was an action of a gentleman but also someone who found respect for the a pirate’s life as it seemed that Lucio had forgotten about the massacre as he was lost in the circling lads that whistled and cheered as they danced around the loud flute. 

It was a good night, as Gabriel thought to himself, making his way toward the bridge of the ship where Amelie stood silently, her eyes catching a few passing sailors until the captain appeared. She nodded her head at him, stepping away as a pirate came along to take over for the night shift. She told him to keep the course straight before joining Gabriel’s side at the back of the ship.

“Why the Cursed Islands?” Reyes inquired without waiting for the silence to take over as he leaned against the wooden railing that overlooked the rear of the vessel. Widowmaker joined him, humming softly as she watched the stars reflect in the softly worrying waves. 

“How did you know I was going there in the first place?” 

“It seems that’s the only thing you keep thinking about lately.” Gabriel shrugged, tapping his fingers against the railing. “Don’t forget, we have English company with us.” 

“That is one of the reasons I set the course. They will float away like scared dogs when they see the storm clouds. The Crown never likes to risk its elites.” Amelie smirked, her eyes scanning the horizon in search of something in the endless darkness. Perhaps it was an answer to her lingering questions that never left her alone, or just another attempt to forget her past. 

“You think the Cursed Islands will welcome Death Blossom?” Reyes sighed, following the woman’s gaze in deep thought. The location was but a myth, but there was something tempting about it. Yes, a war was coming, something he agreed to start and end with the help of Junkrat and the other two Infamous. And yet, Jamison was supposed to be in charge of the islands instead of Reyes.

“You know what you are doing, Gabriel. A storm won’t hurt this vessel.” Lacroix whispered, shifting to gaze at the captain. 

“I suppose I and Fawkes will be comparing ship damages on the beaches of the Cursed then.” The man smiled as he answered, already imagining the Rat approaching with no scratches on her hull. 

“Jamie won’t be going to the Cursed Islands, Gabriel. He’s too superstitious of the ghosts.” Amelie commented with a sigh escaping her chest. She knew, the moment her Junkrat bickered, that he would change his course and run back to India. Thus, she studied the map thoughtfully to know precisely where to turn the Death Blossom to set the course. 

“Aren’t we superstitious of ghosts as well, Amelie?” Gabriel turned his head, his eyes giving his first-mate a deep meaningful look to which the Widowmaker only replied with a shrug. 

“We are the ghosts, Gabriel.”

 

* * *

 

“Captain, we are approaching the storm.” A boatsman announced as he approached the man at the wheel. “Would you like us to begin on the usual routine?”

“Yes. Proceed.” Hanzo nodded, his sharp gaze catching his brother sitting in the crow’s nest with a spyglass in his hands. It was a habit of his to inspect the dancing lightning in the distance that the Southern Wind was going to face in a matter of an hour or so. Perhaps even less as the wind was on their side this time, blowing into the bloody-red sails and pushing the vessels onward. 

“It looks like it’s going to be a challenge this time.” Genji stated once he left the high viewpoint and landed next to Hanzo in a short show of him battling the mast in his favorite combination to jumping, swinging, and finishing with a backflip. The older brother only rolled his eyes, his grim expression never changing as he was concentrated on the course along with the waves that beat against the sides of the ship, softly pulling it from side to side. 

“How come?” Hanzo inquired, finally moving his gaze to acknowledge the younger Shimada. 

“It seems that the Islands know we are not coming alone.” Genji whispered, his thick brows furrowing in an attempt to understand his own conclusion. “We might have company, no the usual one…” 

“Hm.” Hanzo replied, taking a deep breath as he braced himself against the wheel, fingers tightening against it as the ship shuddered from the rogue wave. “We shall see.” 

“I have a bad feeling about this. I’ve seen a dragon in my dream, one of yours, brother.” Genji confessed, meeting his brother’s dark eyes in sudden worry that washed over him. “I only see your dragons in my dreams when there is something grand coming, a tragedy of sorts. Trouble.” 

“Did he speak to you?” Hanzo turned his head away to watch the next wave coming, thankfully this time, it only brushed slightly against the ship before vanishing. 

“No, he only looked at me before diving into the distance of the ocean on the top of which I always meditate. Usually, the water is calm, but this time it was covered in waves.” 

“What color was your ocean, Genji?”

“Red, brother.”

“That explains much.” Hanzo sighed, lowering his head for a fragile second before sharpy looking up. “Release all sails! Hold your balance at the masts! Watch the knots! We are sailing into the heart of the demons!” He ordered loudly, his voice striking sharper than the lightning ahead. Then he gazed at Genji, noticing the man’s spooked expression. “Your dream will guide us. Perhaps to battle, perhaps to death, but we are to defend our second home. The Shimada clan may have vanished, but it echoes through the powers of our will and dragons that devour monsters of Davy Jones’s Locker.”

“To death then, brother.” Genji nodded, knowing well that Hanzo would never let any imposter walk freely on the islands that only welcomed Southern Wind at their bay. Perhaps the inhabitants would scare the unwanted guests, but if it comes to it, the infamous Shimada brothers wouldn’t hesitate to send them far away beyond the ocean’s darkness. 

“To redemption.” Hanzo nodded, his eyes casting away from the horizon as he watched the crew scatter to their assigned spots, his ears picking up a familiar tune he heard quite a lot from below followed by a young voice of a sailor. He concentrated, shutting his eyes as he knew this was but a vision of a ghost that bravely died on this vessel, fighting for the honor of the captain and the symbol of the Southern Wind. 

 

“ _Oh darling, my sweet_

_ Where dost thou shine upon? _

_ Will you bless my old fleet, _

_ Allowing us to carry them on? _

_ I believe in your light,  _

_ That guides me from evil and sin, _

_ And yes, I am no shining damned knight, _

_ But my heart is honored within. _

_ You name is protection, _

_ For those in time of need,  _

_ You say no to rejection, _

_ You help us with speed.  _

_ Please, Orisa, oh Goddess, guide us in time. _

_ Where nothing betrays us... _

 

“...When darkness is a crime.” Hanzo whispered to himself as if fishing for the distant singing of a prayer. He never knew a god, never believed into the power of a book that spoke of heaven high above that controlled and knew the fate of all. He knew that he was the puppeteer of his own puppets, the man that stood with power in his hands that could only grow with dark consequences. And yet, the Song of the Guardian was something he sang in his head and the rest of the crew in the echoing silence. It added a glow to the ship, making the air lighter and the chests wider as eyes stared Death down as if it was a beggar on the street. No one dared to fear on the Southern Wind, no one dared to breach the name of a legend as the captain of the vessel stood with his shoulders wide open to danger. This time the Cursed Islands put up a true challenge. 

And this time, Hanzo was ready. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank every each one of you for the support you've shown as this work fell into hiatus. I received a lot of positive comments on how well this work turned out and I am forever grateful. I've been inspired and I refuse to abandon this work no matter what happens. Next chapter will answer your questions that perhaps lingered for a long time and I do hope you enjoy the idea of Orisa being introduced to the story as a deity. Thank you all once again, our ship is at full sail.  
> P.S. we finally began romancing Angela and Gabriel, God bless the patience.


	9. A Place Where Men Kneel [ I ]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has an objective. It is the kind of a goal for which they are ready to sacrifice their lives and those that stand by them. As the Cursed Islands begin to show in the distance of the dark horizon, sirens sing louder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha, I managed to create yet another chapter in a short time. We are at the edge of discovery, ladies and gentlemen. This chapter marks the beginning of the Cursed Islands and I cannot wait to show you what is hidden here. Enjoy~

**IX**

**A Pʟᴀᴄᴇ Wʜᴇʀᴇ Mᴇɴ Kɴᴇᴇʟ**

**Part I**

**Underwater March** \- Klaus Badelt

 

 

_Six years ago_

 

“Gegard is dead.” Widowmaker’s golden gaze dulled as she watched a building, her former home, fall engulfed in fire. The structure was fragile, made to be broken by the hands of the owner that made a promise to return with good news. The irony took over, ending a life of a loved one that never saw it coming. She stood there, taking the weight onto her wide sharp shoulder with a sense of pride and emotion that began to vanish the longer she gazed into the fire. He was gone and there was nothing she could do to explain herself or prove her innocence.

Talon was a powerful shadow of the Crown, it made everyone obey in one way or another. Amelie knew it, so did Gabriel.

“I see.” Reyes answered, appearing behind the woman in a cloak of smoke that soon became his attire and the rest of his body that seemed to emerge from the darkness. The distant calls of the common folk began to spark in one corner and another, summoning for help and water to stop the fire. It was evident that whoever was inside has perished, but the memory of the image would remain with them forever. Gegard was an excellent servant of the English royalty; he knew the plans and maps of the Navy along with the waters where pirates lingered. He was Amelie’s favorite as well as they spent evenings together, talking on topics never discussed by loving couples: pirates, exploration of the world, the hilarity of religion, and of course, the secrets of the Crown.

Gegard wanted to put an end to pirates as well as the darkness of Talon that pretended to be a Crown’s neighbor as it acted behind its back, destroying it piece by piece with a large circle of privateers that turned rogue against their own homeland. As her husband bickered about Talon’s toxic influence, Amelie showed an interest in its motivation instead. She always liked to remark that it was an organized brain that functioned as a whole in which the Crown, surprisingly, lacked in. Gegard disagreed until the night of his murder, the last one that he would not escape. The one where the last image in his eyes melted into an everlasting shadow of Widowmaker’s lips curved into a ghostly smile.

“What did they give you for killing him?” Gabriel cocked his head to the side, looking over the crossbow that softly quivered in Amelie’s hands. He knew she was holding back a scream, the kind that would shake the earth and choke gods. However, she didn’t make a foreign sound as she slowly turned her head to gaze into Gabriel’s eyes, cold and tranquil despite the undertone of pain that Reyes noticed it.

“La Liberté.” She answered before stepping away from the edge of the rooftop, walking to another side where darkness lingered, a specialty of the man. A fog was rising, perhaps from the early morning or the amount of smoke that attempted to disguise itself as one.  “And what of you, Reyes?”

“They gave me answers.” Gabriel sighed abruptly, lifting his right hand as he stared down at it; in a split second, it turned onyx and weightless. He held it there for a moment before it took its original solid state; his eyes found Amelie’s as he began to speak again. “The northern side is covered in blood. I took care of it.” He whispered and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, unfolding it carefully before exposing a single name splashed against it in ink.

“Who is that?” Amelie blinked, narrowing her eyes as an unfamiliar name that never rang a bell in her head. She met a lot of people but never cared to remember them as they proved to be irrelevant to her life. Gabriel was an exception as he proved to be much closer to her lifestyle as she expected.

“The one that turned me into this.” Gabriel growled, the lower half of his body turning into smoke as the left half of his face suddenly melted, exposing sharp bones instead of skin. His eyeball was gone as well, an empty socket filled with black that seemed to expose far more emotion than Amelie at the moment as she stared at the monster before her. He knew she shuddered, he felt it.

Reyes began to learn odd vibrations people exposed every time he was in this ghostly state. He felt their fears, caught every breath they took and feasted on their agony as they died slowly in horror.

“A woman?” Amelie shook her head slowly, not sure if the man was speaking the truth or Talon gave yet another false target for him to assassinate. Although, there was a possibility of Gabriel getting this information by himself from archives and whispers that were prohibited to the ears of the privateer.

“A doctor.” Reyes huffed, ripping the paper in what seemed a thousand pieces. “She is Morrison’s familiar. Works for the Crown like a proud little girl.” There was clear hatred pronounced in his tone, the kind of anger that Reyes didn’t show often.

“How did she manage?”

“People talk behind the walls, I listen.” Gabriel’s voice dropped as he approached the Widowmaker. The Frenchwoman didn’t move; she felt safe no matter how horrifying the man seemed at the moment. She wanted as his skin began to grow again to cover the pulsing muscles. There was no blood, no sign of true life but soon his face didn’t look different anymore. It seemed to be the same Gabriel Reyes that Amelie met, but it wasn’t. He was no longer human. “I heard she managed to create some serum, some bloody medicine that deals miracles. Brings people to life or whatever.” His eyes moved away from his counterpart. Yes, he didn’t tell her that he managed to get shot right through the chest and perished at a royal doorstep. They didn’t know him yet, so their doctor took him in immediately.

“You died?” Amelie’s eyes seemed to widen slightly, she tried to understand instead of rejecting any possibility of it. In this world, anything was possible.

“I don’t recall anything. I only know that I woke up with an incredible thirst for lives. I killed a man and consumed something, his emotions I suppose, his life and memories. I didn’t see any of it but it made me feel whole.” Gabriel took a deep breath and shut his eyes, covering his face with one hand. The light in the distance began to rise, speaking of a new day as the Sun tried to push its rays through the thick fog. The fire still burned behind the duo, but it barely mattered anymore. “I think she used me as an experiment. She failed.” He concluded grimly.

“Are you going to seek and kill her?”

“No. I am going to take a ship and leave this damned country. I am no longer a slave to Talon and I don’t wish to see you end up as their cuffed puppets. You are coming with me whether you like it or not.” Amelie smiled as Gabriel spoke of her taking her with him; the amount of dedication their friendship proved over the years. She knew he would never leave her, never let her be someone’s servant. She appreciated it and silently promised to sacrifice her life for him with a short nod of her head.

“What are you going to do with the doctor then, Gabriel?”

“Let her find me. One day, I will step on the beaches of some land and I will meet her eyes. I will wait until she recognizes me.”

“And if not?” Amelie mused, entertained by the thought out idea.

“With patience, I will watch until the epiphany strikes her. I want to see her whole world crumble in a split second before I slit her throat with a thank you lingering on my lips.” Gabriel finished, turning to face the rising dawn with his darkened eyes glaring at a new day with the same dissatisfaction.

“Don’t forget to smile, ami.” Amelie whispered before throwing a hook to another building, the rope that it was attached to slicing through the air before it carried her body onward. Reyes watched her, as she climbed the balcony of someone’s home, entered through the door and fell to silence. Another target perhaps, he concluded before turning his attention to a ship in the distance. It was made of dark wood that seemed almost black; it would become a wonderful match to his grim appearance. Once a man of royalty, now a pirate. It would be a scene to regard when Jack finds out and Gabriel kicks the hat off his blond head.  Once friends, now to be enemies. A story yet to be told over and over again as Gabriel planned to claim a dark head of a captain today,

His figure turned into smoke as he threw a black hood of his long jacket over his head, falling from the building but never touching the ground as he flew onward. He turned invisible as he reached the awakening streets, heading straight to the desired vessel with two pistols loaded in his side holsters.

The legend of the Reaper began to assemble.

 

* * *

 

 

“Captain, another man is dead. Thrown overboard.” A huffing boatsman hurried toward Morrison, nearly falling over as he stumbled on the steps of the bridge. His eyes were wide, fear spilling from the emerald hues as they met the countering azure. The blond man took a deep breath and shook his head slowly as he stared toward the deck. His men were in misery, they all tried to escape the tragedy that suddenly took Ana by the neck, threatening to snap it.

“The Smiling Brothers.” He cursed under his breath. “Are you doing the drill? The smiling?”

“Yes, Captain, but it’s not working. The legend’s method is failing us and it seems that they want our blood. No one had spotted them yet.” He swallowed thickly, looking over his shoulder to check the guards that protected the Captain and his valuable titles.

“How many men have we lost, Marcus?”

“Five, sir. Sadly, we are still counting.”

“Gather everyone on the desk, make them all face away from each other.” Jack said sharply after a moment of deep thought. If the myth failed to provide a solution, the man will make his own. There was no way he would lose to some paranormal incident as he pursues the Death Blossom. Although, it was equally terrifying to deal with yet another ghostly creature that is superior to the mortality of a human. “I need my best shot.” He called for one of the guards that joined his side almost immediately.

“Sir.” He nodded and readied his rifle, loading it before he aimed it at the gathering crowd of smiling terrified crewmen that had no idea what was going on. Marcus lined them up as Morrison ordered, hurrying to join along.

“If you see one of them turn around and try to do something to the others, shoot them on sight.” Jack grasped the reel, glaring into the crowd as if wishing to find the culprits of the commotion by himself and end it. “You heard me! You are not taking away my ship and my men, you bloody demons!” He snarled, hoping to scare the entities, but deep inside he knew that more losses would follow if he angers them.

“All ready sir.” The guard said behind the Captain, the click of his firearm indicating that he was at strict aim.

Silence fell onto Ana. It was a middle of a dark star-filled night and yet there was nothing peaceful about it. In the distance, he heard music play on Death Blossom, angered by the fact that Gabriel dared to celebrate. Did they not hear the screams of his men? Did they not hear the miserable shouts that announced that Ana was occupied by the Smiling Brothers? At first, Jack was filled with triumph as he knew that Reyes wouldn’t know that Ana’s spirit was critically down, and yet, at this moment as he watched the tortured faces of his men, he wasn’t so sure how he felt of the fact of no one outside knew.

“Jacob.” Morrison threw as the hired sniper, never looking over his shoulder as he feared to lose any sign of the entities being in the crowd. “What do you know of the properties of these bastards?”

“They are capable of killing quietly, sir.” The man began, speaking softly as he seemed to be much closer to the captain as before. “They smile a lot, a lasting horrific image that a sailor would see before they die.”

“What else?” Morrison seemed to be impatient, his whole body tensing up as his thoughts continued to float toward the Death Blossom, the music on which was finally silenced, announcing a time for sleep. Sleep was surely something Jack wouldn’t be getting as the rest of his men.

“They possess a body after killing them, wishing to leave the state of a ghost and enter the human world.” The man answered, his voice sending cool chill down Jack’s back. Suddenly, the captain realized something that made him go stiffer, the knuckles of his hands turning white from the grip he possessed over the wood of the bridge’s reel. Marcus said there were five dead men, however Jack only heard four splashes as his crew hurried to dispose of the bodies in fear of them being possessed. He inhaled slowly, eyes shutting for a moment. The fifth one was right behind him.

“Do they get satisfaction from killing, Jacob?” Jack spoke calmly, knowing that the rifle was aiming straight at his head. He never dared to turn as it would trigger an immediate shot. His best bet was to speak to the possessed man, but he couldn’t tell for how long the entity would consider him speaking to the dead sailor until it realizes.

“Oh, a lot, sir. A lot.” Jack knew that the false man was smiling at him, he could feel the grin on the back of his head. It was an image that shook him to the core, but Morrison stood his ground. He knew his crew saw it too, but no one dared to say a word as their thoughts synchronized in the same outcome.

No one knew what was going to happen, but Jack surely expected his demise. He began to slowly reach for the pistol at his holster, keeping his movement slowly and steady with a pause or two. He froze as he heard another click of the weapon, a sign that Jacob was going to shoot in a split second. Morrison’s gaze fell onto his crew, staring for a long time as he expected darkness after a split second of excruciating pain. The shot never came.

Another long silence crawled over the ship, damning it to a tense pause as Jack could only hear his swift heartbeat and broken breath. He didn’t know what was happening until he heard a sharp sound of a cracking neck and a loud penetrating scream that would perhaps haunt him for the next months. He spun around, gasping as he saw Jacob’s body at his feet and a dark figure standing right before him.

“Reyes.” Jack exhaled sharply, taking a step back as he watched the Reaper exit his ghostly state and show his human features. The pirate smirked darkly as he noticed the split fear in Morrison’s eyes, something he hadn’t seen for a long time.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” His voice rattled through the quietness, the crew on deck regarding the scene in shock. Suddenly, a man from the crown stepped out, running toward the nose of the ship with a twisted expression on his face as he dove from the ship into the dark waters. There was a dark purple flash as a muffled screamed, similar to the one that Jack heard.

“What the hell was that.” Morrison inquired, turning to catch the sign of whatever just happened.

“The Smiling Brother just lost his sibling, he mourns, now damned to scatter himself over the seas in search for a permanent host.” Gabriel sounded as if he finished telling a tale, a ripped page from a book that no one had ever seen before.

“How did you-”

“Only a monster can kill another. Forever.” Reyes shrugged, crossing his arms as he shook his head. “You should be aware that old stories won’t help you. Smiling into Death’s face never saved anyone.” There was a passing chuckle from the pirate that should have summoned rage within Jack’s face, and yet the blond elite couldn’t feel anything else but relief.

“How the hell did you get on my ship, Reyes?” He growled, approaching the other with another spike of confidence as he grabbed his pistol and aimed it at the Reaper. Gabriel only rolled his eyes and sighed heavily.

“Is that a thank you? My, you Englishmen surely know the rules of etiquette.” He mocked, smiling wider at the fire that played in Morrison’s aquamarine hues. Making fun of Jack to the point of him boiling was one of his favorite things to do in the past and the current present.

“I will not repeat my question, demon.” The pistol pushed against Gabriel’s chest, but no reaction followed. No one could kill a deadman, both men knew it. And yet, it seemed that Morrison tried his best to threaten the captain of Death Blossom.

“I felt their presence.” Reyes answered. “They were with you for a long time, Morrison. I sensed them even at Nassau’s shores but it was faint. I suppose they waited for a perfect moment to take over.”

“I can’t believe it.” Jack whispered, staring at Gabriel for a moment before he lowered his pistol. “Give me a good reason why you suddenly saved Ana. Especially me.”

“Because if there is going to be a man behind your demise, it’s going to be me.” Gabriel stated sharply, holding the admiral’s eyes with no falter. No matter how easy it sounded to throw Jack into fate’s unfair arms, Gabriel only permitted the honor of Morrison’s end to belong to the pirate.

“Poetic. Thanks.” Jack spat and hid his pistol into his holster. “It’s clear, go below deck.” He shouted back at his crew, knowing that some of them would remain up top because of the worry for their captain’s well-being. There would be a long speech awaiting for them in the morning where Morrison, in the most facilitated way possible, would explain the events of the night where the Devil decided to aid Ana and her children aboard.

“There is a storm coming, Jack.” Gabriel spoke short after he heard a number of footsteps hitting the stairs that led to the crew’s quarters. “Our course is nearing the Cursed Islands.”

“Cursed Islands?” Morrison nearly laughed, a sarcastic smile striking his lips. “Cursed Islands are a myth!”

“Is that what you told yourself when you heard of the Smiling Brothers?” Gabriel’s brow arched quizzically as his amusement increased from the sudden change in Jack’s expression.

“Why are you going there?” Jack sighed, not liking the sudden suggestions from the pirate. This was no peace treaty, he could not trust someone he pursued to kill ever since the massacre. He no longer saw his former friend in Gabriel’s face, all he observed was a monster from the abyss of the sea.

“Business.”

“Business? What business do you have in a place cursed by Neptune?”

“I am to find the third Infamous.” Gabriel answered sharply, summoning yet another shock passing through Jack’s expression. “You are not going to stop me, unless you want to die from the storm that the Islands summon as protection. Hell, be my guest if you want the Kraken to sink your precious vessel.”

“What makes you think you won’t be the one drowning, Gabriel?”

“An island full of monsters like me? Heh, it almost feels like I am coming home.” The pirate’s words struck Jack; it was a statement that no poet would describe in rhyme as the amount of hidden emotion spilled from Reyes. The Cursed Islands were like a home to him because he could’ve been it’s precious son. If anything, the Kraken might even become a welcoming show to the Death Blossom.

There was a pause. A long one.

“I know you have Angela on board.” His voice fell, calmer this time as the elite looked to the silhouette of the distant Death Blossom. He wished to catch this ship for so long and yet here he was, nearly losing his own and being saved by the infamous Captain. “Hand her over and I will turn Ana around.”

“No.” Came the answer from the Reaper with a tone that clearly stood to no negotiations.

“Why?”

“She’s a precious luggage, so to speak.”

“Don’t tell me she is a sacrifice.”

“She is far more than you think, Morrison. You will turn your ship around at dawn whether you like it or not, or else you will feed the fish at the bottom of the sea.” The pirate suddenly threw his hand forward, grabbing the admiral by the collar of his frock and pushing him against the wheel.

“Why the hell-” The man’s words were choke, eyes glaring at the other man with rising confusion and anger that splashed together like wine and water.

“You heard me. Believe me, you and I will cross cutlasses again. I declare war on you and the rest of your wet dogs back in England. I am ending this once and for all.” Gabriel spoke quietly, but his voice seemed to roar and ring in Jack’s ears. The pirate leaned closer, their foreheads nearly touching as their eyes never broke contact. “These waters are mine and I will prove it to you as I sink your armada like paper boats.” He hissed and shoved Jack aside, causing him to stumble over to the side of the wheel and grasp onto it in order to save himself from a fall.

“We shall see.” Jack coughed, glaring at the Reaper as his hand brushed over his throat, still feeling the firm grasp. “I will not give up and I will end you once and for all, Reyes.”

“Buena suerte, Morrison.” Gabriel spat over his shoulder as he turned his back at the captain, a ghostly laugh following him as he transformed into the same mist as before and vanished from the deck of Ana, returning to his dark ship that was long asleep. Morrison straightened up, swallowing thickly as he was soon joined by his first-mate.

“What happened sir?”

“Full sail at dawn.” Jack spoke coldly, glaring at the counterpart as he made his way down the steps to the doors of his quarters. “I will see Death Blossom burn.”

 

 

* * *

Southern Wind was thrown against a sharp wave that rose a few feet above the ship’s masts, scaring a few crewmen as they haven’t watched that side of the vessel. It was a sudden hit, sending two of them overboard to never be seen again. Genji yelled something to them, hearing them scream back before being swallowed by the waters. Alas, there was no time to mourn, they had to check the knots of the sails over and over again as the wind skillfully tugged them loose. It was an endless battle of nature and men that was victorious on both sides. For every tight sail, the ocean took a sailor or two, already counting a few losses that Hanzo was angered about.

“Those with a balance of an empty bottle tie yourselves to the masts!” He ordered, snarling as he spun the heavy wheel to avoid the rogue wave by guiding for the ship to meet it head on. Thankfully, it rose and curves over the destructing darkness that passed on by and continued on its way of hunting for more victims. No one from the crew dared to even touch the safety rope as they knew the order was to test their courage and warn about being taken by the sea. No one dared to challenge their honor with such a simple tempting task of being saved by the hardened masts; thus, every crewmen remained where they were. They held onto the railings, tying the knots over and over again if it seeme that they came loose. Every rope line was compromised at the some point or another, thus making it hard to keep track off. The men decided to divide in a few grews, yelling at each other threw the heavy rain and dancing lighting that threw shadows over the slippery deck.

“Hanzo, I can’t see the islands!” Genji finally managed to jump over the stairs and climb to the bridge where the wheel was. He regarded the older brother briefly, noticing how tense his body was as he tried to take a hold of the Southern Wind that seemed to refuse its captain’s orders. He chuckled despite the tension and grabbed the reel to approach closer and not lose it to the waves slamming against the hull.

“They are there, Genji. I know it.” Hanzo’s eyes narrowed as he glared into the darkness before them. It almost felt like their ship was swallowed by some beast and they were damned to swim in its gut for eternity, thinking that they were outside searching for the islands. “The Moon will guide us soon enough.”

“You know, we can always refer to the dragons-”

“Dragons are no game, Genji. I cannot use them just to facilitate something I have dedicated my life to. I’ve been in storms like these before.” Hanzo threw over his shoulder, cutting off the younger brother before he sharply spun the wheel all the way to the right. The Southern Wind began to turn, groaning at the wind whipped the sails, bending them every way it pleased.

“I would call upon mine, but-”

“You are unable to control him, Genji.” Hanzo cut off yet again, his voice loud enough to cut through the wheezing of the nature’s wrath and hit the younger brother’s ears. The dark-haired man furrowed his brows and turned away from the captain with a huff.

“One day I will.” Genji groaned under his breath and caught a sailor stumbling onto the stairs, shouting about seeing a distant land. The whole crew seemed to suddenly light up at the sound of freedom approaching them, alas Hanzo didn’t seem to be amused by the news. He knew what it really was the dark silhouette in the distance was but a mirage of new danger.

“Hold on tight!” He snarled the command, spinning the wheel to turn the ship’s left side to face the false land before suddenly it shuddered from hitting something. Suddenly, everything froze, even the air stilled as the rain ceased. The crew looked around themselves, confused expressions rising on one face and another, adding to the choking tension. The rain vanished and so did the wind, but where was that promised Moon that would lead them to the Cursed Islands?

“Captain?” One of the sailors spoke quietly, his wide eyes scanning the surroundings as he slowly approached the side of the vessel, looking over into the darkness where it was hit. “What was that?”

“Hanzo-” Genji started, taking a step toward the stairs as he knew that the poor man was in danger but he was met with a stern look of his older brother and swallowed thickly before shutting up.

“Let them learn.” The older Shimada answered and moved his eyes back at the sailor that was suddenly grabbed by something and tugged over the boat. There was a brief scream before a heavy splash of water and a sound of limbs breaking. The rest of the crew members glanced at each other and chased themselves away from the reelings of the Southern Wind, coming as close to the middle as possible. Some, hurried to the lower deck to arm themselves.

“What the hell was that?” One of them yelled, a rookie that just joined the team and had no idea what was going to happen next. The veterans remained quiet, knowing that the captain preferred for the newcomers to learn from experience instead of someone telling them. A warning always came from a threat, not a helper. “What the hell is going on!?”

A sudden scream from the nose of the ship indicated that another pirate was taken by the unknown from the sea. The demise came quickly, no one even noticed anyone creeping in. The men began to yell between themselves, forcing each other to face the outside of the small clusters they formed, swords and pistols ready to cut through whatever it was that decided to challenge their freedom and courage. The Southern Wind had one of the best swordsmen in the pirate circle and yet, during the times when they had to meet the paranormal, they seemed to lose their skills.  It would be a comical image to recall if none of them had to pay for it with their life.

“Genji.” Hanzo turned his head, noticing that the younger Shimada already predicted his thoughts. The men stood straight with throwing knive between his fingers, staring ahead with a dangerous spark in his eyes. The storm might’ve calmed down, but there was nothing tranquil in the air that could relax them. They will have to fight yet again.

“I am ready.” The man answered, nodding his head as Hanzo stepped away from the wheel, aiming for the stairs in a silent indication to cover his back.

“I am getting my bow, be aware of the railings. They are coming.” With that, the captain hurried down the steps, jumping over a few before he sharply turned the corner to reach the doors of his quarters. There was another scream, more female, that came from the rear of the ship followed by Genji’s sharp growl. Hanzo paused for a second, his ears catching a soft echo of his brother’s footsteps that indicated that whatever just attacked from behind was dead. With that, he entered inside a large cabin that had two beds on both sides, a large desk in the middle with an organized ink collection and quills. Behind was a large map of the known lands and oceans that was fixed to a wall covering the window. The right side of the quarters belonged to Hanzo as it was the tidiest one of the two. The soft blue covers with a symbol of their clan covered the sheets and a pillow underneath of which the man always had a dagger in case of any emergency. On the wall beside it stood a stand with a large handmade bow and a stack of arrows in a quiver, awaiting for a touch of the expert.

Hanzo approached slowly, his eyes glued to his loyal weapon as he gently brushed his fingers across the curve, feeling the design before he grasped the handle and pulled the quiver over his back. There was a shout for him coming from outside, forcing the man’s thoughts break as he sharply turned around. There was no time for thanking the ancient dragons in a quick meditation, he had to save his ship.

The Shimada stormed out the doors, shutting them behind him with a shove of his foot as an arrow was already tightened against the line, pulled again against him in a sharp aim. He waited before sending it straight into a head of a shadow that threatened to attack a sailor at the nose of the ship. The aim was true and the target was dead within seconds of the naked touch. The pirated gazed at the corpse before staring up at the captain in the distance, mouthing a thousand thank yous before he hurried away from the scene.

The attack lasted longer than Hanzo expected, longer that it had been before. This wasn’t right, something was indeed coming as Genji mentioned in his deep meditations. Speak of the devil, the younger Shimada appeared within seconds after passing as a thought in Hano’s mind. His back pressed firmly against Hanzo’s, chest rising and falling quickly and he cursed in their native tongue, glaring around.

“Why are there so many of them?”

“Extra security.” Hanzo shot again, watching a body fall in the distance into the water it came from. He wasn’t going to be welcoming for these guests; they received the treatment they presented in the first place: death.

“Funny,” Genji commented, this time pulling out his long katana from the back holster, the dark naked blade with a hint of green on its edge glistening in the brief shot of lightning. “I thought sirens were far more friendly.”

“Something startled them.”

“Do you think it was an order to try to kill everyone this time? Are they expecting trouble?”

“Seems like it.” Hanzo huffed, stepping aside to dodge a sharp blade of some unknown weapon. Genji was there just in time to deflect it with his sword, chuckling as he mocked the entity with his signature grin.

“I am not impressed!” He shouted into the darkness, hearing a hissing female voice follow him from the distance. Hanzo nudged him with his elbow disapprovingly.

“You shouldn’t be making fun of them. They are only protecting their home.”

“Our home too, Hanzo.” Genji huffed and shook his head before he hurried to deflect yet another hit, slashing his sword this time to cut right through a neck of a shadow before it vanished. “Hm...these aren’t the sirens I recall at the beaches…”

“It’s their hostile form, so to speak. They are called the ghosts of the ocean for a reason, now you know why.” The older brother through over his shoulder before shooting another figure through the chest and swinging his bow to slam the side of it across the approximate spot of their head, sending it onto the ground with a cry.

“Heh, I thought the Reaper was the ghost.” Genji smirked, clicking his tongue as he showed off his katana covered in thin blood as if telling the approaching darkness that if it was to challenge him again, there would be more sacrifices.

“He is Death, that is a different kind of ghost. A wraith that feeds on lives of others.” Hanzo explained, feeling the rain beginning its course again, droplet by droplet falling onto his face. He looked up, narrowing his eyes at the sky before he saw a trace of a white glow behind the clouds. There was a faint smile that appeared on his lips before he sharply gave out a command to regroup to the rest of the fighting crew.

“What’s that, Hanzo?” Genji asked as he slashed the blackness again, sadly not finding a victim to possess before he turned to the other.

“The storm is starting again, they are standing down.” The archer announced before he hurried to the captain’s bridge, his bow now over his shoulder to join the quiver as his hands were now busy at the wheel. Slowly, the Southern Wind began to turn to match the original course, the members of the team at the deck returning to life as the shock was passing and the darkness returned to the water. There was a split moment before the ship was hit by a strong light of the heaven where the Moon’s paleness exposed a blood covered wood of the vessel’s floor, cut-up clothes of the pirates, and their terrified faces as the gathered themselves and those that fell in battle. Silence followed as they chose to pay their respects before throwing the bodies overboard. So many victims, so little time to honor them.

“Hanzo, how much do we have to lose every time we come here?” Genji’s slowly slid the blade of his sword across his town sleeve as he joined his brother’s side, his eyes watching as the pirates lowered themselves into the crimson, not caring of getting dirty as their minds began to process the losses. Those were their friends, siblings, perhaps those that they knew ever since the Southern Wind opened its first sails. Now, most of them were gone, falling victim to those that formerly pushed their ship to get to the islands faster. What was wrong with this time?

“Until there’s peace again.” Hanzo sighed, looking downward as he saw the distant true outline of the islands. He saw the trees of the grand jungle moving softly from side to side like thousands of apologetic hands, waving to welcome the approaching ship. There, on the dark indigo sand that reflected that sky tonight he saw figures of a few sirens that stood watching the ship’s approach before they vanished into the night, ashamed of meeting them tonight. The stars that glistened and played in the calming water began to spread over the onyx in larger amounts as if the sky in the previous waters differed from the waters of the Cursed Islands. The bay was quiet, Hanzo could already tell that tonight they would have no company awaiting for them. The attack on the Southern Wind was perhaps a mistake, something that the formerly friendly entities were obliged to do but yet too guilty to let go of.

“The gods never learn.” Genji added with a chuckle as he watched the same scenery, his eyes counting the stars to make the time pass as the distance between them and the land seemed to increase with patience that the ship fell into. It was a tough scene: a bloody vessel and a clean pure beach.

“Lower the anchor.” Hanzo sighed quietly, holding the wheel to steady the boat. “Ease off the sails! Prepare the boats!” And crew didn’t wait long to obey; it seemed orders were the only things they responded to at the moment. After the knots were loosened and the bloody sails were lowered along with the heavy iron, the vessel finally slowed down and came to a complete stop. The pirates filled with boats, noticing the lesser numbers that fit into the seats; one boat was even left behind as the quantity of the crew fell dramatically.

Hanzo watched their approach, standing in the lead of the small boat as Genji took possession of the other. Both brothers’ eyes met in a brief exchange of silent opinion as the boats finally reached the reflecting crystals of the sand, their feet stepping firmly before sinking into it, making their way toward the larger hill. The crew followed after pulling the boats higher, looking around to make sure no shadows were following them this time. It was quiet tonight, too quiet.

“Start a fire.” Hanzo whispered to one of the pirates that stood closer to him. “We shall give those we lost a proper farewell.”

“I thought you decided to forget them the moment they vanished in the dark.” Genji teased but forced himself to close his mouth as he saw the way Hanzo glared at him. Sometimes, the younger brother simply couldn’t control his energetic need to speak and commentate. He smiled apologetically and lowered himself nearby as Hanzo took a seat on the sand.  “I’m sorry.”

“No need.” Hanzo shut his eyes as he smelled the scent of wood burning that the men managed to gather from the a small forest area that was connected to the beach. The branches were laid out in a circle, a sailor brushing two smaller twigs sharply to create the needed friction  for the dry leaves. Soon, the roaring inferno danced in everyone’s gaze as they took their seats to surround it. Everyone lowered their heads as only one figure remained standing nearby. It was a figure of a young woman dressed in a heavy purple robe with eyes glowing brighter than the moon. She looked over every single pirate, her face remaining neutral as she was the only one that dared to approach them after she regarded the tragic attack from this very spot. No one moved as they knew it would result in disturbance of a perfect balance, something Hanzo always  encouraged on land and in the sea.

Her eyes met Hanzo’s as the Shimada looked up to greet her; she nodded at him and he lowered his head again, shutting his eyes as a deep breath was pushed into his lungs, forcing to relax his body that was subjected to stress ever since the Southern Wind began to sail. After a split second, a soft voice began to hum some tune unknown to those that knew shanties better than their own five fingers. Then an enchanting song followed in a voice praised by the gods, a divine gift that only sirens were known to possess. There was a sigh of gratitude that rolled over the sailors as the melody soothed immediately, their hearts opening to the following words that praised those they lost in an unexpected battle in the darkness.

 

“Praise me, the gods that never asked of my name,

That threw me to play in an unfair game,

Praise me, those that threw me into the sea,

Never to hear my long lasting plea.

I am the one that died with a smile,

Fighting and biting the black wicked trial.

I am the one that never gave up,

Filling my own blood-soaking cup.

Hear me those that care for me,

Never surrender to the dark thirsty sea.

I tell you, my brothers, I am still alive,

Continue my battle and we all shall thrive.”

 

The song continued, humming soon increasing in number as a few more sirens joined the beach, appearing as if from nowhere. Every each one of them wore a different-colored attire as a symbol of their individuality. Their voices diverse as well, creasing a breathtaking crescendo as they sang together in a unison. The pirates said nothing, a few of them were too stunned by the beauty that surrounded them that they chose to not leave their seats. Even Genji smiled as he used the moment to sink into a state of pure meditation, perhaps hoping to see the distant emerald dragon guiding him for an explanation of the former events.

Hanzo was no longer by the fire; he made his way down the beach where the Moon played with the foam of the waves, watching it with a tired look in his face. Soon, he felt a presence of someone behind him but never turned as he greeted them with a hum.

“We apologise for such a rough welcome.” The voice of the first siren that commenced the song sounded quieter than back at the campfire. Hanzo only shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

“You do what you must.”

“And yet, we do not wish to hurt our allies.” The siren approached, the soft accent in her voice reminding Hanzo that these dames always gathered from all over the world. There was something special about these islands that attracted them the most.

“We will always be your allies, no matter how many men you will kill.” This time he turned to face her, their eyes meeting in a brief moment before watching the distant horizon where the storm clouds danced in a tight circle, protecting the Cursed Islands and waiting for the next victim.

“Death Blossom is coming.” She spoke softly, slowly lowering to her bare feet. It was odd seeing her like this, the last time Hanzo remembered her whipping her serpent-like tail in the water, teasing his men with a cocky smile. Those creatures could take so many forms, he only wondered what aces they had up their sleeves.

“Is that why you have doubled your guard?”

“He is bringing unwanted company.” The sea woman replied, chuckling to herself as she tossed her dark hair to the side, tilting her hand to brush the sand away from a small seashell. She picked it up, searching the pattern in deep thought.

“We will stay here as long as we need to.” Hanzo hummed, pondering as to why the Reaper finally decided to enter the forbidden territory which he and the rest of the Infamous swore to avoid. Was this the time of crisis that Genji predicted? If it meant trouble, Hanzo would refuse it immediately. He fought enough wars and would not join another pirate dispute that he used to solve at the bays of Japan.

“Whatever is coming, I think all of us expected it.” The siren elevated herself, tossing the shell into the hissing water as it retracted its outstretching arms and vanished from the sand.

“I am glad to be here, then.” Shimada nodded his head, catching the woman’s smile as she chuckled quietly to herself.  

“Welcome home, Hanzo.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you noticed, this chapter is marked by Part 1 which means that part 2 is not going to come out soon. I wish to jump to our darling Rat for the next few chapters and show you Junkrat's adventure in the meantime.
> 
> Also, I finally fixed the Spotify playlist for this work, I do hope it holds the mood and the melody of the chapters.  
> Enjoy: https://open.spotify.com/user/samuel_wasloth/playlist/4U3k17iDHQdfmX8Cu1tKGF


	10. The Waters Grow Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Junkrat sails for India in hopes of reuniting with his beloved treasure; however, every moment of happiness comes with a price.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 10, also known as the chapter I had to rewrite several times in order to place hints for the future.   
> Sorry for the wait once again. I hope you are enjoying Doomfist and the Summer Games updates.  
>  I have a rollercoaster planned for you guys and it is coming in the near future. Our adventures continue.

**Chapter X**

 

**The Waters Grow Cold**

  
  


A long wooden finger slipped slowly over the edge of a sharp blade that was hidden inside a thin slot. A golden ring played just after the knuckle, rolling slightly to the side as the finger bent, examining the dangerous weapon beneath it. Flesh would be already bleeding from the rough touch if not for the false nature of the hand that had to substitute a long forgotten injury. It was a dangerous sight, a breathtaking image of one man that wasn’t afraid to play with fate no matter what it cost him. 

The Wheel of Misfortune was Junkrat’s finest creation as his imagination took him to the right person at the right time. A heavy pouch of gold and now the feared pirate proudly strolled through land and sea with a large spinning machine on his back that guaranteed a victory. No matter which way it spun, there was always a handle of a blade waiting  for a trustworthy hand to grab it and slice a throat of a volunteer. The wheel counted about twenty cutlasses and daggers within that delivered final blows many times. It seemed to never leave Jamison’s back as he stood at the front of his ship or in the sand of Port Royal. No matter where the pirate went, the wheel brought misfortune to those that sadly did not realize the very meaning of the name of the cunning device. Now, the formerly mentioned sat nearby, serving a proud image to regard and play with as its owner was lost in thought. 

It’s been a week since the Rat changed its course, aiming from a cursed location to India where in a calm port the crew expected to see home. No one dared to question their captain for a sudden change of heart as Junkrat was known for ruthless decisions and desires of thrill. Something changed in the pumping adrenaline that filled the atmosphere on the ship; something forced the Rat grow tired. 

Jamie’s face didn’t change as the doors of his cabin swung open, heavy footsteps followed indicating precisely who the visitor was. His eyes moved upward slowly, burning with amber as he regarded Mako staring down at him with an unsatisfied expression that was half-hidden under a bandana. There was something that he wanted to say but seemingly avoided as he anticipated Junkrat to throw his cards in first. The captain sighed and straightened up in his chair, pushing the Wheel away from himself to press it against the wall. He made an attempt to stretch out, hearing the pleasant pop in his joints before he licked his lips and nodded his head. 

“Aye?” 

“The wind picked up, we are approaching the rogue location.” Roadhog crossed his large arms over his chest, indicating that he wasn’t too pleased with the course. Alas, there was nothing he could do as Jamison enjoyed to challenge the untamed ocean. 

“Good, good. I’m glad.” Jamie smirked and elevated his body from the large chair, stumbling over to the corner of the table to grab his tricorn before pushing it over his head. He exchanged a quick glance with Mako and sighed before stopping at a decorative globe with daggers piercing various continents. By that glance, Roadhog knew there was something else on the captain’s mind that required an inevitable conversation. 

“What is it?” The quartermaster inquired, folding his large arms over his broad chest. 

“Ya think Satya’ll think me a coward?” Jamison smirked, cocking his brow as his long fingers grasped the handle of one of the knives, pulling it out in one swift sharp motion. The blade glistened in the warm light, reflecting a dangerous glow in Junkrat’s eyes.

“A coward? No.” Mako shook his head and took a step toward the captain. “If anything, she will be proud that you haven’t made another stupid mistake.

“Oi! Whose side are you on, mate?” ” Fawkes growled and pointed the blade at his counterpart, turning so both of them could face each other. 

“Yours, obviously.” Roadhog’s gaze darkened as he glared heavily at the blade that could’ve easily become a toothpick for the large pirate. Junkrat sensed that he pushed the line and shoved the blade back into its original place. “But sometimes I stand by her opinion, especially when you decide to endanger the whole ship to chase down a vessel three times larger than yours.” 

“But we ain’t dead yet, aye?” Jamison parried, pouting at the taller pirate before he took a deep breath. The Rat began to slowly sway from side to side, indicating that the rogue waves were approaching.. The captain had to take the wheel soon or else the crew would have another panic attack and knot up the sails. Roadhog sighed, approaching Jamison before placing his large hand on a sharp skinny shoulder. Junkrat huffed from the sudden weight that almost seemed to equal the mass of his Wheel. 

“She will be thankful, believe me.” Mako’s voice lowered as the wheezing wind and loud call outs from the pirates served as a sign that both leaders were needed on deck. “Now move your ass, you’re needed at the wheel.” The quartermaster growled and shoved the captain toward the rattling doors. Jamison giggled and shook his head as he stumbled outside only to be slapped by a chilling wind. 

“Shite, I hate this weather.” He cursed but nonetheless grinned, planting his wooden pegleg onto the first step that led to the captain’s bridge. “Oi, get out of ‘ere.” Came the command as one of the younger crew members decided to be the head of the turning wheel. It was comical to observe the sailor grasp onto the curved handles and steady the Rat only to be thrown off by a sudden change of weather and a tall captain nearby. Junkrat was always seen with his device on his back, hunched over like an old man with a deadly plan in his mind. Now, with a back straighter than new strings of a guitar, Jamison stared into the raging face of his favorite element. It was a perfect opportunity for the Rat to show its abilities in speed and perfect momentums. Many times did Jamie save his crew from flaming canons of British ships and many times he managed to tame the tall waves that seemed to swallow the sky.  This was but a piece of cake. 

“Captain!” One of the pirates shouted, holding the knot of one of the bigger sails as it began to rain. There was a big storm coming as Neptune’s arms opened wide in hunger to welcome the uninvited guests. “One of us saw something in the water earlier! There was a shadow!”

“What kinda fairy tale ya got for us today, cobber?” Junkrat rolled his eyes, sharply turning the wheel to send a wave of shock through the ship and pin the sailor against the railing in fear of falling off. The captain exploded laughing, throwing his head back. “Might wanna hold on there, sweetie.”

“I am not lying, sir! He claimed it was a beast. The De-”

“-Devil himself, aye, aye. What else was it, mate? A mermaid with a thousand heads? How about ya tighten up that knot and shut ye trap?” The pirate was cut off by a sharp bark from the captain as the wheel was spun to take on a new direction that headed directly toward the rogue wave. The plan was simple: meet the disturbance, tame it, and climb it before sending it off on its way to destruction. 

“But sir-”

“You want to meet the Devil yourself, eh? One more word about the visions in the water and you will become a ghost!” Jamie snarled and glared at his crew members whose eyes were widened by the horror story the fool decided to spread at the most unexpected moment. “Get back to work, damn it! There is nothing to be afraid of!”

As told, the pirates began running around the deck, tying the knots and easing off the sails so the cloth wouldn’t rip from the wrath of the wind. The waves were rising and adding to their powerful rogue sibling that would head straight against the Rat. Jamison took a deep breath, bracing himself against the wheel as he saw a large dark wall beginning to rise before the nose of his ship. 

“Hold on tight, boys.” He whispered, his wooden leg nearly digging into the floor as he knew what would come next: a powerful hit from the impact. 

And yet, there was something wrong. 

The hit never came, in fact, the large wave suddenly froze as if the time itself decided to take a break. Jamie’s narrowed eyes slowly expanded as he stared at the endless water frozen and beating against some invisible force. 

“What the hell?” The captain took a step away from the wheel, turning his head slowly to the dumbfounded Mako that gaped at the scenery in a similar way. “What’s this?” 

A split second later, the dark wall suddenly shuddered followed by a sharp whistle. Suddenly, the water began part vertically as if the Moses himself decided to pay a visit to one of the most dangerous pirates of the oceans. A bright orange light came from the dark crack, blinding the pirates for a moment before forming an oval-shaped opening in the middle of which resembled a large onyx circle. Junkrat took another step away from the wheel, craning his head to see more of the oddity from behind the sails. 

“Is that kind of door to the underworld?” A voice came from the side of the ship as a former story-teller was the first to find his voice. 

“No.” Mako’s response came next, making almost all heads turn away from the nightmare ahead and gaze at the quartermaster in horrified curiosity. “It’s an iris.” 

“Iris!?” The pirate’s voice broke off as suddenly another whistle came, making the men turn back to now expanding dark circle that nearly hid all the orange light underneath. “Is that a fucking eye!?”

“Kraken.” Junkrat’s lips moved by themselves as the wind took his voice in the last moment. The book that he gave Gabriel described this demon as a large squid-like creature, but never presented him as a gigantic shadow that could raise rogue waves and freeze them at the same time. This was something from a story that no one certainly lived to tell, thus many sailors made assumptions. “Grab the railings! Hold on tight!” His command came next as the wall ahead shuddered again followed by an ear-piercing scream that seemed to come from underwater. The Rat shook like a leaf, the rattling of chains below deck singing a song of danger and awakening a few members that decided to snooze on the job and wait out the storm without the captain’s knowledge. Jamison snarled, covering his ears briefly before he grabbed the wheel and began to guide the ship to turn its side to the gazing phenomenon. 

“A Kraken? Are you bloody serious!?” One of the pirates yelled, falling to his knees as if preparing to pray to all existing gods to save himself from the horror. 

“Maybe I should’ve listened to the fella…” Jamison chuckled nervously, gazing over to Roadhog whose expression was darker than the rogue wave. 

“You’re an idiot.” Mako responded sharply, wrapping his fingers around the wooden side of the ship as another screech came from the colossal shadow. The eye began to sink indicating the monster acknowledged the target and already made a plan. One thing was clear: it will rise again. 

“Get the canons ready! I want all explosives on deck!” Fawkes yelled once the Rat turned east, showing off its dark-orange side to the slowly vanishing eye. “We’re gonna blow ‘im up!”

“What??” One of the pirates stopped and stared upward at the captain, nearly losing his hole-filled hat. “To fight the Kraken? Are you insane!?” Only laughter followed as a response as Jamison found the question foolish and hysterical. He grinned widely, his amber gaze lighting up in the last light of the eye as he pointed his index finger upward. 

“Tell me somethin’ I don’t know.” A second later, a pistol was drawn from the holster on his hip and fired at the inquiring pirate. A bullet pierced the man through the head, killing him instantly and sending his body into a side spin to fall onto the deck. “Any more questions about how I control my ship?” Jamison blew against the tip of the gun with a satisfied smile. The vessel swayed violently from the waves created by the sinking eye that vanished beneath the ocean’s cover. Even in a critical situation like this, the crew managed to recognize that familiar lack of sanity in their brave captain and somehow gain confidence. It was Junkrat’s special convincing ability, and who cares if every time he had to kill a man. 

The crew was fully at work now. Scrambling like rats to grab the requested resources and loading cannons on both sides along with mortars. Grenades were filled with a double portion of gunpowder, fuses attached to the tips and rough edges as patience began to count down the next encounter. The ocean suddenly calmed and the rogue wave melted like ice without ever touching the Rat. A Kraken that could control the sea was something Jamison didn’t expect to encounter. In fact, he hoped to never encounter one. 

He recalled a time when he saw the outline of devilish tentacles poking out from the water in the distant horizon, perhaps feasting on a broken sinking ship. Back then, Jamie blamed it on the large amount of alcohol that he consumed after a successful fight against another British dog, however, now a sober man, he was convinced that some nightmares had a tendency of being real. 

The captain didn’t know how to fight this thing. There was no guarantee that his canons will even provide damage as his research never spread far from the information he could dig up. Luckily, his explosives could take out the finest metals, thus, the flesh of this beast would be an easy target to hurt if it ever shows up again. 

“Are you afraid?” Mako’s voice sharply pulled Junkrat from his racing thoughts, making the man fidget and turn his head.

“Me? Ha! Why would I be scared of some ocean demon?” 

“It’s a Kraken, Jamison. And you are about to anger him.” 

“How can ya speak so calmly?” Jamie smirked, a giggle dancing in his voice alas there was truly nothing to laugh about. “Afraid yourself, eh?”

“Shut up and watch the ship or else I’ll kill you before the monster does” Roadhog sighed, swinging his hand to the side to grab a large sharp hook. Of course, what could it do against a beast that lingered somewhere underneath the ship, but any method was an opportunity worth grasping. “You know what happened to those that encountered this son of a bitch in stories?”

“They died.” Junkrat swallowed thickly, holding the wheel as his chest suddenly grew tight. There was no escape from this fight and every single man on this ship knew that Death was tempted to brush her hands over the vessel. “But I ain’t a coward.”

“You’re making a stupid mistake, again.” Roadhog barked, surprisingly smiling under the thick cloth of his bandana. His eyes glowed with a bloodthirsty fire that always appeared before a grand fight. Even in a face of tragedy, the two partners could always find humor. The duo had been through a lot of mayhem ever since Jamison bought Mako’s mercenary services to protect himself from being hunted down by the world. Unseparated they stood, watching the Kraken turn the waters with its everlasting strength. 

“Nah, mate. I’m making Satya proud.” Fawkes grinned maniacally, his side view suddenly going dark as a large column began to rise from the sea. “And here it is. A hand to shake.” His head slowly turned to the right, coming face to face with a large tentacle that appeared from nowhere. It was an ugly sight covered in shells and even sea creatures that didn’t escape it in time. The limb was taller than the Rat’s masts and as wide as the half of the deck. With one swing, it could’ve taken out all of the sails, but instead, the tentacle simply froze there, swaying softly from side to side as if the beast below fell into doubt. A moment passed, the pirates remained standing still and gazing at the large part of the Kraken, their breaths barely audible as they couldn’t predict the future. Jamison exchanged a quick glance with Roadhog, gaining only a slight nod from the quartermaster. 

“I go wherever you go.” Came the wanted answer from the large killer before Jamison smirked and whistled for his crew to listen. 

“Blow the meat out of it.” The response to the order came as swift as the realization that a war commenced. The men began yelling at each other as they took positions above and below deck. The canons were guided toward the tentacle, fuses were lit, and soon heavy cannon balls cut through the air to strike the monster’s arm. A sound of piercing flesh and pouring dark blood thundered throughout the chilling air, followed by an intense scream from the Kraken.

The tentacle began to swing widely and violently, trying to shake off the excruciating pain as the canons were reloaded and fired again and again until the limb sunk downward with a good chunk missing from its side. The air was filled with an atrocious smell of salt and corpses as if the monster they were fighting was already rotting from the inside. Jamie narrowed his eyes, ordering to seize the fire as he walked to the railing to check over the edge of the ship. There was something off about this beast as if it wasn’t trying to fight the pirates but simply examine them. 

“I’m confused.” Junkrat confessed, hearing his men cheering as they thought that it was over. They were dealing with a giant of Neptune’s nightmare chest, what the hell was so pleasant about hurting something that could potentially end lives with one swing? Nonetheless, Jamison kept staring at the water where the tentacle was located a moment ago. The ocean seemed to darken from the odd liquid that resembled the Kraken’s blood. It was a horrible image. 

A pirate from beyond the deck hollered for the captain, attracting the attention of everyone as suddenly another tentacle appeared from the opposite side of the ship. It did the same thing as the first one, though this time the limb swung slowly from side to side as if expecting to avoid cannon fire. Junkrat growled, giving out the command to load mortars and burn the damn thing. Grenades were sent overboard, lighting up the sky in large explosions and forcing the tentacle to move away from the Rat in fear raging pain. The fire was a wonderful element to fight a demon even in the water and Jamison refused to believe that the Kraken was invincible.

The despised arm of the monster soon vanished underwater with significant damages, a roar spreading large ripples over the surface of the ocean as the monster seemed to shuffle beneath. No one knew its exact size, but they could only imagine what lingered directly beneath the Rat’s hull. It was a scary image of something colossal that was already spreading its jaws to rip a part of the ship and devour it. 

Silence fell quickly, however, as if the Kraken was spooked by the hostile response to it presence from the vessel. Not many dared to put up a fight against a monster like this before, thus the creature was confused by a sudden wave of burning ammunition. Junkrat stood aside, breathing heavily as he tried to rest his throat from the yelling. His men cheered, grinning at each other and whistling as if the fight was over. Sadly, they haven’t realized what kind of fight they picked on. 

Within a passing moment, the silence was broken by loud splashes that reminded of thunder instead of rising water. The cheers stopped and turned into gasps and loud commentary of endless cursing. The Rat was soon soaked in a shadow of two healthy tentacles that came as a substitute for the injured once. Jamie blinked, noticing that these ones were bigger and even had a claw-like shape at the tip as if made for piercing something. A bright flash of realization flew through the captain’s head as it was clear what the monster was going to do. 

“Oi!” He shouted, grabbing the attention of his men before grabbing the wheel. “Spend every single canon on this bastard, ya hear!?” Jamison pointed at the swinging arms that seemed to touch the darkening clouds of the grim heaven. One of the pirates, that was in charge of gunpowder, pulled off his ragged hat and shook his head toward the Kraken’s arms before turning to the commander.

“Captain we don’t have much! We will lose if the Kraken decides to swing at us. We  might as well aband-” 

“I am NOT abandoning my Rat! She’s my treasure and pride and how god damn dare ya to insult her capability!” Junkrat’s wrathful outburst echoed throughout the vessel, sending shivers through the crew’s spines as they weren’t unlucky enough to hear their captain rage often. “Ya want a bullet through yer head, mate? Go on then, get into a boat and run like a coward! I’m not stepping down from some squid from your tales!” The pirates were silent for a moment, their eyes cast toward the large tentacles that seemed to get closer to the ship. Jamison glared at them with burning passion of someone who knew that there was no victory coming from this fight, and yet, he stood there with his hands tense on the wheel. Mako stepped toward the railing nearby the steps, his large fingers curling around the handle of his hook. 

“Get to work!” He snarled from underneath his mask, awakening the enchanted sailors that seemed to ponder too long. There was no other choice but to obey, especially when the devil of a quartermaster decided to give out orders instead of the captain. The cannons were readied and the last of the mortars loaded before another wave of hellfire was released onto both of the tentacles. The pirates watched as the long arms swayed, chunks of meat flying into the water and even landing onto the deck. Dark blood oozed down to mix with the ocean’s dancing waves and yet this time the Kraken refused to lower beneath again. The tentacles remained standing like towers before the eyes of a dozen struck sailors. Junkrat growled, knowing that the ammunition was gone and the grenades that he carried on his belt were useless.

“Hold on, Mako.” He barked over his shoulder to the quartermaster that gave the captain a sharp side glance. Suddenly, one of the tentacles curled slightly, its sharp end aiming at the ship before it launched forward, striking the Rat through its right side. A deafening sound of breaking wood and metal alerted the crew as they began to shout at each other. The deck began to vibrate as the Rat was thrown to lean onto the opposing side of the tentacle’s strike, losing a couple of unfortunate pirates that were too distracted to hold onto the railings. Jamison watched as the ocean swallowed them, their eyes cast at the large hole that was now decorating the Rat before they vanished into the Kraken’s domain. The captain shut his eyes, feeling his quivering fingers as he knew there was nothing he could do. His ship was covered in blood and chunks of Kraken that he couldn’t take home as a trophy and the  number of his crew was already cut half. 

“Idiot.” Roadhog’s voice suddenly pulled Junkrat out from his passing thoughts of regret, forcing him to look up to the large pirate that used his hook for the balance. “You’re going to die if you stay on the ship.”

“I am not leaving my Rat!” Jamie retorted, glaring at Mako as his arms nearly embraced the large wheel. In the meantime, the second tentacle swung over the ship, destroying all masts and sending the sails to crash down onto the deck, burying the crew underneath. Screams became louder, the creaking panels barely held the weight after the damage was dealt, thus the ship began to slowly sink into the cold bloodied water. Several pirates jumped overboard, hoping to swim away from the raging beast and yet soon they fell victim to the depth at the tentacle slammed on top of them. Mako sighed out sharply, watching a once proud battleship bow to the power of a sea monster’s fury. They lost, and that was it. 

“I am not bringing your corpse to Satya.” Roadhog growled, grabbing the side of the scratched broken railing and hooking Jamie’s waist before sharply pulling him away from the wheel. The sharp curve of his weapon scratched the captain’s sides, but the concern for it was far at the bottom of the quartermaster’s list. He’d rather hear Vaswani complain about the asymmetrical scars instead of a dead Jamison in her arms. 

“What are ya doing mate!?” Junkrat raged, grabbing the handle of the hook but failing to twist free from it. 

“Saving your goddamn life.” Mako hissed lowly before sharply swinging the rope that h promptly attached to the hook and tossing Junkrat overboard where the beast wasn’t prowling with his tentacles yet. The captain yelled something angrily on his way before a loud splash of water consumed him within. He pushed himself above the surface, his arms failing vigorously to stay atop as he imbibed the image of his injured ship from the side. It was a horrid image of a huge hole and broken masts where the orange sail darkened from blood and the last of gunpowder. The tentacles were still dancing around it but they began to slowly sink underneath. Jamison yelped, biting into his bottom lip as he knew that his precious Rat was finished with. All the treasures, maps, and even Wheel of Misfortune were lost to this bloody Kraken that lingered somewhere beneath. 

In a brief wave of bravery, Jamison stored oxygen in his lungs and dove under, opening his eyes to spot the beast that destroyed his lifetime of work in a matter of ten minutes. Alas, all he saw was darkness for the exception of a large blood-orange eye that glowed in the depth. The familiar black iris in the middle of it seemed to be gazing upward at the direction of the ship until it slowly moved to notice the captain staring back. The eye visibly narrowed as if the Kraken was smiling at Junkrat, noting that karma always touched upon those who tried to waltz with the king of the ocean. The pirate scrambled, shoving his arms in front of him to push his body upward to gain more oxygen above the surface. The ship was becoming distant to him, the rage in his eyes burning as he pulled out a dagger from his belt and held the blade between his teeth. In a brief breath of death-filled air, Jamison sunk under again, swimming toward the large eye with curses swirling in his head as a strong desire for revenge fueled his actions. 

_ I will kill you. I will stab your fucking eye and watch you suffer, you bastard _ , Junkrat thought to himself, pushing his whole body forward and forgetting just how deep the Kraken was. The darkness embraced him, hiding the surface of the ocean from his reach, and yet the captain didn’t mind it. He wished to hurt this beast just one more time before he could meet his own death. Alas, the eyes seemed to increase its distance, forcing Jamison to puff bubbles from his mouth in annoyance and confusion. Just how far away was this monster?

His chest suddenly became tight, his heart beating against his ribcage and echoing into his ears. Junkrat froze, his eyes running from one side to another in a realization that he dove too deep and his oxygen ran out. There was silence now that reached his ears, his rage calming as he glared down at the despised eye that never moved away from the pirate. The beast and the man seemed to examine each other a while longer before Jamison’s lips curled into a smile. 

“I hate you.” He mouthed, the last bubble escaping his mouth as it climbed toward the invisible surface of the ocean and vanished in the same blackness that soon invaded Junkrat’s eyes and sent him into limbo. 

 

* * *

 

_ Three years prior  _

_ The Scarlet Shores of India  _

 

“Ya know, with all this junk you like collecting, I’d say you’d make a hell of a merchant.” Junkrat leaned over the clean counter that was covered in some expensive Persian rug. His eyes sparkled mischievously as they landed on an elegant back of an Indian beauty he was overjoyed to have as a company. 

“At least this  _ junk  _ has value, Jamison.” Satya’s thin smile shined over the curve of her shoulder as she soon turned around. Her arms served as hangers for a palette of necklaces that the captain of the Rat decided to gift her the moment he arrived at the Indian port. The sunset was captivating on the south side, especially during spring as the sun seemed to come closer from the sky, floating just out of reach. Jamison enjoyed being here during this time as the cold ocean wasn’t always full of those divine sights. Besides, he didn’t get an opportunity to share it with someone who stole his heart instead of his treasure filled chest. 

“Whaddaya mean this junk? Ya tryna hint that my treasure’s trash?” Jamison pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. “Half of it is what I brought ya, so don’t point your nose too high, sweetie.” 

“I have a name, Fawkes. I’d rather you refer to me by it instead of calling me like you do the girls in the Caribbean.” Vaswani’s eyes darkened as she denied any eye contact with Junkrat meanwhile occupying herself with the multicolored silk scarfs that swayed in the soft breeze. Jamison sighed and rolled his eyes, his fingers dragging over the carpet before he bowed his head slightly in defeat. 

“Fine, fine, Miss Satya.” His voice spilled teasingly, yet he decided to mock her further would’ve been his biggest mistake. “Say, are ya selling any of those necklaces today? Night market’s open soon.” The pirate smirked, nodding toward the setting sun in the distance that reflected in his burning amber gaze. 

“Perhaps.” The woman smiled, settling the last decorations over the carpet after swatting the captain's hands away from it. The necklaces presented themselves in white gold with endless jewels glistening in a tempting dim light. The candles brought out the emeralds the most meanwhile the shadows accented the luxurious scenery. Vaswani always knew how to organize her little shop in order to attract most attention of the traveling guests of her home country. A long time ago she did it by dancing in the middle of the capital’s block, using bright outfits and paint to mesmerize foreigners. One of them just happened to be Captain Fawkes that then gave her a chance for a new life as a cunning shopkeeper. 

“Ya better. One of them I cut right from a baroness’s neck!” Jamison announced proudly, his smile fading slightly as he noticed a ghostly look of disgust passing over Satya’s face. He giggled, nervously looking down as if trying to find the right words to use in order to move from the subject and capture the woman’s attention elsewhere. “I have somethin’ for ya…”

“Yes?” Vaswani looked up from her display, cocking her head to the side as an expectant smile appeared on her face. She was hard to impress most of the time, but the pirate always tried to find something as exotic as her tastes. A string of black pearls emerged from an inner pocket of Jamison’s long coat, stretching to become a necklace. There was a single lavender pearl in the middle that played with the surrounding light and accented the darkness around it. 

“I traded this for one of the pistols I stole from a Navy dog. One of a kind.” The man grinned, coming around the counter once Satya gave him permission by lifting her long thick hair to expose her elegant swan neck. The pirate carefully circled the necklace around before fiddling with a lock in the back, huffing as he failed a few attempts. Once the pearls were in place, Jamison let his arms slither around Satya’s thin waist, turning her toward a small mirror that managed to hide among the endless silk. “Ya like it?” 

There was something breathtaking in the reflection that Satya regarded the moment her eyes fell upon the necklace. There he was, one of the Infamous pirates known to mercilessly end dozens of lives, spoiling an Indian vendor meanwhile he could’ve simply killed her. Jamison was practically at the palm of Satya’s hand as she could order him to do anything for her and yet, there was something within this pirate’s chest that summoned endless respect. He was strong, surely mad, wise, and silly at the same time; a dangerous combination that earned him his status. Satya still questioned what was there in her that he so fell in love with, but it was a question she would never dare to ask. The answer could be nothing that would satisfy her fragile self-esteem and a desire to always fix mistakes that failed to even occur. 

“It’s different.” Came the answer from the woman as the tips of her fingers brushed over each pearl, observing them curiously. “I do like it.” 

“Don’t you sell it.” Fawkes purred, clearly drowning in pride that he managed to satisfy the woman with a simple gift that took him a long time of threatening. Though that was a detail he would refrain from mentioning as he knew Vaswani wasn’t a fan of violence and enjoyed order over anything. 

“How can I sell something you’ve adorned me in?” Satya remarked with a smirk, her thin brow arching as she gave her shop a quick glance. Most of the things here belonged to Rat’s treasure chests and vessels that were long gone in the cold depth of the unforgiving ocean. 

“Oi, I risk everything for ya.” Jamison groaned as he used his fingers to part away a few dark locks of his Indian beauty and press his cold lips along her flaming neck. The woman shivered slightly, craning her head slightly to the side as if giving him permission to proceed. 

“Are you waiting for me to say I am impressed? Jamie, one day, it will all get you killed.” Vaswani sighed heavily, her hand brushing over the pirate’s arm that remained on her waist. Junkrat exhaled sharply and glanced into the mirror to catch the woman’s expression in the dark reflection before spinning her around to face her. It wasn’t often that Satya could regard Junkrat in his whole height, especially since he was busy carrying that heavy wheel over his back that doubled him over. Right now, he resembled a grand tower with furrowed brows that read concern as he wasn’t pleased with her comment. 

“Ya think I am so easy to kill? I’ve destroyed towns and England’s finest ships. I am sure I can take on anything. Don’t ya doubt me.” The man raised his voice, leaning downward to subtract the distance between their faces. Satya didn’t flinch away from the gesture, she wasn’t afraid of Jamison as she knew his every intention.

“I trust you, Jamie. I only warn you.” Vaswani shook her head, her hand gliding over the man’s sharp jawline, feeling a hint of light stubble and caressing it gently. Junkrat purred, visibly pleased by Satya’s touch as he turned his face slightly to press a kiss against her wrist. 

“I’m always careful. If anything, Roadhog’s got me back.” He chuckled, pulling Vaswani closer by her waist before capturing her lips with his. The woman didn’t get a chance to release another stern comment as she was suddenly kidnapped into a swirling world of sensation. At times, Satya had a habit of forgetting how mature Jamison could be as he always acted so childish and careless. Now, his voice turned deep and husky and his eyes filled with a light that only she was allowed to see. He changed when he was around her, and it was almost an honor to melt in the arms of a bloodthirsty killer. 

They stood there, kissing like two attention-starved lovers, embracing each other within the dim lit silk and bright jewelry. The world stopped spinning during moments like these, especially when they took a more honest turn with no one around. However, Satya wasn’t a fan of public affection, especially the way Jamie enjoyed showing it. 

“Jamison.” A warning rose in her voice as their lips finally separated, giving the woman just enough space. “Not now.” 

“Why? No one’s looking.” The pirated murmured, his fingers running across the exposed thighs of the vendor, pushing her lower back against the counter. Perhaps in a different setting, the woman would’ve given in, alas the open night market wasn’t a place for such intimacy. There were honor and morals to consider, something Junkrat only regarded in rare fair battles. 

“No one yet. There are customers coming any moment. You know the status of my shop.”

“Why yes, I helped to raise it.” Jamison giggled, trapping Satya’s bottom lips with his teeth and gently pulling on it before he proceeded to drag kisses over her chin and down to her throat. “I only wish to give ya all of me before I leave again.” 

“When?” The woman threw her head back, unable to resist the mad charmer that somehow managed to burst through the wisely built walls of her domain. No one could ever come close to the gates of her stern character until this joker showed up with his obsession of treasures and explosions.  _ Ridiculous _ . 

“Two days time. I’ve got a Queen to taunt and an old friend to meet.” Junkrat paused, lifting Satya slightly so he could wrap her legs around his hips thus settling her on top of the counter. The necklaces were forced to shift aside, breaking the perfect formation the woman desired to assemble. Vaswani only rolled her eyes, snaking her arms around the pirate’s neck. 

“You didn’t have to bring disorder to my shop, Jamison.”

“Me bad, Miss Symmetra.” Junkrat grinned, mocking the woman by her nickname that the town folk seemed to spread. Everything was perfect in her home, the symmetry that ruled its halls and rooms was no mystery to the outside. Satya didn’t care however, she enjoyed being known for her cleanness and perfection. 

“Old friend? Don’t tell me you are gathering up with the Infamous.” 

“Aye, that exactly. Something’s stirring up, sweetheart, and I can’t figure out what. The ocean’s too quiet as if sometin’ down below is making a plan.” 

“A plan?” Symmetra chuckled, shaking her head as she brushed her hand over the captain's dirtied blond locks. “Yes, the fish wish for revenge since the fishermen are particularly hungry this season.” A string of laughter spilled from her chest, ceasing a moment later as she noticed Junkrat’s dark expression. 

“No jesting.” 

“What do you mean then?”

“There is something coming. I’m only glad you don’t travel with me. I don’t want to lose ya to some monstrous tragedy.” Jamison confessed, smiling weakly as he kissed Vaswani’s shoulder and nuzzled into the crook of her neck. 

“Don’t say such things. I worry every day you’re gone.” The woman sighed, playing with the thin locks that managed to fall out during battles, exposing a few nude spots where battle scars lingered. “You must return to me, Jamison.”

“That’s a promise.” Junkrat smiled, shutting his eyes. “I love ya.”

Satya paused as she heard his last remark, chewing on her bottom lip to keep herself from smiling as her fingers sunk into his hair, lips pressing to his forehead. 

“I love you too.” She murmured. “Now go take a bath. I’ve been holding my breath for too long.”

“Satyaa!” Junkrat whined. “Yer so cruel to me, eh!” 

“I like when my clean home remains clean. Now go.” She pushed him away, a ghosting chuckle escaping her as the pirate saluted and stumbled away. The woman watched him exit her store from the counter that she remained to sit upon, wondering if whatever Jamison question of the future held the darkness he predicted. Whatever it was, her worry now knew no rest. 

 

* * *

 

“Jamison.”

The voice was distant, incomprehensive as if something was calling him from deep within the darkness that trapped him. He tried to open his eyes, but there was only blackness that hid whoever called him by his name. It sounded painfully familiar and yet the captain of the unfortunate Rat could not recognize it. 

 

“Jamison!”

 

Here it was again, louder this time. Suddenly, there was a tug that Junkrat felt on his right side, something pulling him in an unknown direction. Was he being saved, or was he thrown into a coffin? It was hard to tell from all the damn nothingness around him. He only recalled drowning meanwhile staring into an eye of a monster that took away his crew, his ship, and even his quartermaster that made a sacrifice to save the captain. Alas, it didn’t seem to work. 

“Jamison wake up!”

 

Or did it?

Suddenly, a sharp vibrating pain spread in Jamie’s chest, forcing him to open his eyes widely to meet a bright light. The pirate snarled, turning on his side and breaking into a violent cough that seemed to shake his whole body. He doubled over, noticing that he was laying on a soft bed instead of drifting in the still coldness of the ocean. A bitter smell of cinnamon incense and candles hit his nostrils, forcing him to scrunch his nose and let out a string of weak curses. The only place that held a scent like this was Satya’s home, but he was just in the middle of the ocean, about three weeks away from the shores of India. 

“He’s awake.” A male voice caught the pirate’s attention, making him slowly look up. There was a man standing in a white coat by his bedside, presumably a doctor, that poured some odd green liquid into a cup and presented it to Fawkes. “Here, it will make you feel better.” 

The captain frowned and made an ugly sick sound before knocking the mug out of his hand glaring upward as he attempted to sit up. Junkrat held his head, his vision swimming and causing the background to blur into dull splatters of color. 

“If ya want me to feel better, get me a bottle of bourbon.” The pirate snarled, glaring down at the spilled liquid before a soft hand slid around his shoulders, alarming him. His head snapped to the side, dim eyes narrowing as he tried to focus his vision on the patterns finally combined into a gorgeous image of a familiar face. “Satya…?” 

“Jamison.” Symmetra’s expression was stoic, her eyes gliding over the captain’s paled face as if trying to judge the state he was in. “You must drink what the doctor gave you.”

“Oi, I ain’t drinking that shi-”

“Jamison.”

“I didn’t know hell could take on an image of heaven, he-he…” Junkrat broke into a grin, his mind unable to register the sense of reality. If anything, this was a very bad dream that reminded him that happiness wasn’t something that he earned. 

“Jamison!” Satya’s hands covered the man’s cold cheeks, causing the pirate to shiver and expand his amber hues. She was real, too real. “Listen to me. You are not dead.” 

“I’m not dead?” Junkrat blinked, unsure of Satya’s word. He knew that mermaids enjoyed transforming into bright images of something a sailor really wanted before taken their life. Maybe one of them spotted the drowning captain and decided to play a wicked game with him. 

“You’re alive-”

“Ya liar!” The pirate pulled away, hissing at Vaswani like an animal. “You ain’t me love, you’re an imposter! Dirty fish!” His hand moved toward the holster of his dagger but found it empty. “Damn it, ya robbed me blind.” 

“Jamison, you need rest.” Satya shook her head, noticing the running worry in Junkrat’s face as he wasn’t himself. He breached the doors of life and death and who knows what he saw before he was pulled from the depth of sweet darkness. He needed time. The shopkeeper rose, circling around the mess that the pirate created before speaking to the doctor in private. 

“Oi! Ya planning to kill me over there, cowards. Say it to me face!” Fawkes refused to calm down; his body began to quiver from stress and uncertainty. Everything around him seemed to be real along with the smells and sounds of the home he missed so much. However, he could clearly recall the Kraken’s eye staring into his as he was drowning. It caused a chaotic flow of questions that flooded the tip of his tongue, alas he wasn’t able to open his mouth as he noticed Satya making her way back to the bed and the white coat leaving the room through dark heavy curtains. 

“I am not going to kill you, Jamison.” Vaswani’s voice was low, covered in sweetness that only she could share with the pirate no matter what was going on. Junkrat noticed it along with the expression in her eyes that no two-faced mermaid could mock. It was her: the one and only of his soul. 

“S-Satya…” The man reached out, managing to catch her soft delicate hand before he pulled her closer. The woman didn’t resist, she only smiled weakly as if happy that the captain wasn’t seeing another in her. She lowered on the edge of the bed next to him, feeling his long arms embrace her waist and his face drowning in her hair. Fawkes imbibed her scent, greedily taking deep breaths and humming in satisfaction. “It’s you…”

“Yes.” Vaswani chuckled, her fingers running over his forearms before reaching back to play with his dirty blond hair. “You’re safe now, Jamie.” 

“What happened to me? I wasn’t close to India when me ship sunk.”

“A few fishermen found you on the beach and recognized you. They brought you back here to me and I called for a doctor.” 

“Did they see any of me Rat?” Junkrat lifted his head, his eyes filling up with a fragile hope that something of his ship still remained as a remembrance of the Kraken’s attack. Satya gazed at him for a moment longer before slowly shaking her head. 

“I am sorry, Jamison.” 

“Bloody hell.” The pirate groaned, the tip of his cold nose finding the woman’s shoulder to press against. She was warm and tender in his arms, everything he ever wanted to be with during the times of pure crisis. 

“You need to rest and gather your strength. You and I can discuss the losses later.” Vaswani tried to stay calm, but even her heart was madly aching now, causing her to bite her lower lip to prevent herself from losing control. Jamie needed her tranquil attitude now more than ever and she would not fail him. “What happened back there, please tell me.” 

“We got attacked by a Kraken.” Jamison’s voice changed immediately, becoming more hostile as he recalled the damned monster swallowing his men one by one. “Forget the myths that ya hear every day, that bastard is bigger than you think.”

“I am very sorry to hear that.” Satya inhaled slowly, her fingers brushing the man’s head to calm him down. It worked many times before and even now he seemed to almost melt under her wise touch. 

“I lost a necklace I stole for ya. It was your favorite color.” The captain pouted, seeming to become an offended child that watched his toys break before him. Satya only smiled and shook her head, bringing the pirate closer so she could press a soft kiss against his forehead. The man nearly purred, his lips spreading into a large smile before he nuzzled under her neck. 

“I don’t care about necklaces. I am glad you are alive, Jamie.” 

“Well, I could’ve always sold it, ya know. Bought ya a bigger home.” 

“I like my home like it is, Jamison. You know I don’t like drowning in luxury.” Vaswani sighed, recognizing the returning playfulness in the pirate’s voice. He was already getting better and it helped her to settle. 

“I do. I am the richest man in the world.” Junkrat smirked, aiming to point his prosthetic finger at Satya but only now noticing that it was gone. “Wait, where’s me hand?”   
“It was lost in the water. They brought you here without it. I ordered you a new one and a better quality as well.” The shopkeeper chuckled at the expression that Jamison made as he stared at the emptiness of his elbow. 

“But I liked mine a lot! It had a lot of cuts on it to tell the story of me greatness!” 

“And to put you at risk. The wood is unstable. One more blocked blade could cost you an eye.” The woman pressed her hand over his shoulder, applying pressure softly in order to invite the man to lay down. “You need to rest. I will bring you dinner soon to return your strength.” 

“You know I can’t rest when I know that my whole crew is feeding the fish right now.” Junkrat’s brows furrowed nearly meeting over the bridge of his nose. His thoughts struck over the image of Roadhog throwing him into the ocean, causing the pirate whine softly as he brushed his hand over his torso to find light bandages around his waist. So it did really happen, this wasn’t some tricky nightmare.   
“I promise, it will get better-” Satya was suddenly interrupted by a loud swing of the door outside the bedroom, followed by a troubled voice of the doctor. A moment later the man slowly pulled one of the curtains to peek inside the room, his face reading horror as he spoke with a shake in his voice. 

“M-Miss Vaswani. A man is here to see you and the captain.” 

“Let him in.” Satya’s eyes narrowed, not sure what kind of guest would ask for her and Jamison’s company. Many people knew of their romance in town, but not many enjoyed Junkrat’s persona, thus people tend to avoid him out of fear. The doctor nodded briefly and quickly vanished before the curtains moved again, lifting to expose a tall large figure of a man covered in dark clothing and a mask covering the lower half of his face. His gray hair was tangled into a high ponytail and his heavy eyes stared right into Vaswani’s as she took a step back in a shocking epiphany. Junkrat groaned as he slowly sat up, his head turning to acknowledge the guest before he beamed and yelped in a wave of excitement. 

“Mako!” The pirate exclaimed, shoving the covers away from his body and jumping to his foot along with the prosthetic that hit heavily against the floor. He stumbled toward the bigger man and tightly embraced him with his arm. Roadhog didn’t move, his only looked down at the captain and rolled his eyes before huffing. 

“Don’t touch me.” 

“Aye, aye.” Junkrat laughed, recognizing the bastard of a quartermaster that made a scene that night on the ship as he threw Jamie overboard. “You’re alive, mate!” The pirate stepped aside and quickly returned to his bed with Satya’s help as his head suddenly spun and his body felt very weak. 

“I just arrived here. Took me a damn long time to go through the fishermen.” The man proceeded further into the room, taking a seat next to the bed and crossing his large arms over his chest. Symmetra cocked her head to the side, sighing as she battled with the need to tell Mako to take off his dirty coat. This wasn’t the time for small talk and complaints; the two partners were reunited and she only wished to listen to the story.

“Ya smell like tuna, cobber.” Jamison chuckled, amused by the chaotic look of his quartermaster and madly glad that he was indeed alive.

“Well, I did have to swim the damn ocean, idiot.” Roadhog growled, clearly not satisfied by his state either. Jamison blinked, confusion appearing in his expression as he tried to imagine Mako swimming a three weeks worth of travel. 

“How?” 

“Sharks.” Mako replying sharply, making it known that he would not explain further. Jamison respected that and only looked away. This didn’t make sense, but he knew that Roadhog found those creatures fascinating. He even worse a necklace full of shark teeth to represent how many of them he managed to kill. His quartermaster was full of surprises and Jamie didn’t wish to find out every secret and ace Mako had in his sleeve. 

“As long as you’re alive, I don’t care how ya did it.”

“You saved his life.” Satya’s voice suddenly broke the growing tension, making both men change their attention from walls to the woman sitting neatly in a chair by the wall. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome.” Roadhog nodded, his voice softening as he preferred Symmetra better. She wasn’t as obnoxious as her partner, neither did she poke her nose into the business she knew wasn’t her own. “As to you,” his face turned to Fawkes. “You fight a monster one more time, I am going to personally kill you. Got it?” 

“Loud and clear.” Jamie grinned, knowing that Roadhog wasn’t joking and there was a clear possibility of him dying faster from his hands rather than some legendary beast. “Say, what of the Rat? What happened after ya threw me off?” 

“The Rat was broken in half. I watched it sink under the tentacles. I could only retrieve our cutlasses and a pouch of gold that you gave me.” Mako sighed, reaching into the inside pocket of his coat and exposing a dark heavy bag. Jamison smirked, taking the gold and judging it by its weight. 

“Perfect. I think it will be enough to get us a new ship.”  
“You’re not planning to go on sailing again, Jamison.” Satya frowned, clearly not satisfied that after playing with death, Fawkes decided to jump right back into it. 

“Of course I’m planning on it! We got a war to fight, sweetie, and I ain’t losing because of the Kraken. If anything, I need to warn Gabriel and his dogs.” 

“Since when do you care about other pirates?” Mako chuckled, shaking his head as he recalled Junkrat being quite selfish in the sea. 

“Since I realized that there is something more than the English dogs posing a threat.” The room fell suddenly silent as the duo stared at Jamison in concern. 

“What do you mean?” Symmetra lifted in her chair, scooting it closer to the bed right before the night stand with dancing candles providing warm light. Junkrat sighed and popped the joints in his neck before stretching his arms and settling against his pillow. 

“The Kraken attacks with no warning. The one we encountered seemed to be more curious about us. I attacked the bastard first, so it’s me fault of angering him. It almost seemed like he was trying to protest against ruining the Rat.” The captain shrugged, not sure of his own explanation. “I read about these bastards. They’re smarter than we think. The Kraken that killed me crew didn’t want to do that.” 

“It’s just a monster, Jamison. It only wants blood.” Roadhog growled, tired of the conspiracies that Jamie loved to indulge in, and yet a part of him noticed that the Kraken indeed was doubtful about his actions. 

“I’m telling ya mate, we’re dealing with something more than the Bitch Queen of England.” Jamie protested and shut his eyes as a sharp headache began to control his mind. “I need to warn the rest of the Infamous before the war against the bloody dogs starts.” 

“How do you intend to do that with our ship gone, Fawkes?” Mako questioned, trying his best not to laugh at the foolishness that Jamison was spitting left and right. 

“Ah-ah, that is where I’ll have to introduce ya to the greatest craftsman in the world!” The pirate grinned and pointed his finger at Vaswani that visibly became uncomfortable with the attention.

“Jamie…” Satya’s voice broke off as she looked down at her knees, clearly embarrassed by the praise. 

“She can help construct a great ship. A new nightmare of the sea that will put everyone to shame! Hell, even Reyes will be jealous.” The maniacal grin over Junkrat’s lips meant that his proposal wasn’t going to vanish easily like all those crazy ideas he once had. Vaswani only sighed, cupping her face with her hand before nodding softly. 

“It will take time, Jamie.” 

“I dare ya to be finished the moment I leave this bed.” Jamie smirked, knowing that Symmetra was a queen of challenges and never refused to be tested for her wits. The woman glared at the pirate before elevating. 

“I will call the finest builders, but promise me something.”

“Anything for my treasure, darling.” Jamie grinned, his eyes lighting up like never before. He was happy, she could tell. Satya smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. 

“You are going drink everything the doctor will give you and not leave this bed unless he lets you.” 

“Blegh! Satya, tis not fair!” 

“You want your ship or not?” 

“Aye, whatever. Deal.” The man growled, already regretting his words as he knew that doctors were merciless in this country with their cinnamon filled liquids and green oddities that were supposed to cure deadly illnesses. Alas, without them, there would be no Captain Fawkes prowling the sea, thus the man had to oblige to any opportunity. 

“Good. Mako, accompany me please?” Satya asked, pleased that Roadhog rose almost immediately, knowing that he wished for the construction of the ship no less than Jamison. The two of them left the bedroom, leaving Fawkes for his rest, before exiting out of the large buildings that Vaswani called home. It was then when she turned to the quartermaster, her face growing dark with uncertainty. 

“Now be honest with me. What is this doubtful Kraken Jamie is speaking of.” 

“The night of our attack, the monster was hesitating. Jamison ordered to attack him and it was then when the Rat was injured.” Roadhog shrugged. “I don’t know what he is trying to say, but I have a feeling that for once he isn’t wrong.” 

“This is beyond ridiculous. What kind of disorder has ocean summoned?” 

“I don’t know. Whatever it is, you need to do as he asked and get him a new ship. He is going to go insane without it.” Mako looked around, his eyes picking up on a few passing civilians that stared back. He growled, making a sharp move forward as if mocking an attack and scaring the people away. A low laughter rumbled in his chest before he turned back to Symmetra. “It’s true. Reyes decided to battle the British Navy to possess freedom of roaming the ocean. He is heading for the Cursed Islands as we speak. Jamison decided to come here instead.” 

“Good choice, even though a costly one.” Satya nodded, her fingers brushing her chin in wonder before she resumed her way toward the town. “Very well. I will help you with the ship. I will make a design tonight.”

“The gold I saved is all we have. Jamison can’t count a damn, but that pouch can buy the last dinner, nothing more.” Mako’s grim expression sunk deeper as he realized that for once they weren’t able to cover the expenses of a lost vessel. Hell, they needed far more than that as well. 

“Don’t worry about the gold. The ship is going to be a gift. Don’t tell Jamie that.” Satya chuckled. “I know people. The money isn’t the problem, the time is. You’re asking me to give you a ship in a month.” 

“I am sure you can manage, Symmetra. I know you.” 

“You sure do.” The woman laughed, passing a few shops before stopping in front of a well-known tavern. “Come, you’re probably starving.”

“You have no idea.” 


	11. A Place Where Men Kneel [ II ]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cursed Islands are in the view of those that stand aboard Death Blossom. Soon, two legends will share the same ground as the clock of war begins to tick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, Part 2 has arrived. Our heroes made it to the cursed land after months of sailing and exploring issues on the way. Oh yes, the finest Mercykill and McHanzo begins.

 

  


_The leaders of tragedy and oceans unite,_   
_In a place where Gods sing in the dark._   
_Thrive they for victory with every bite,_   
_To leave in the world their blood-stained mark._

_Amusement is over as death smiles upon,_   
_Those who sought for joy and pure sun._   
_Now after each battle, they simply move on,_   
_Awaiting the sound of a familiar gun._

_The Reaper is quiet as he carries an Angel aboard,_   
_The Dragon is sated as he feeds off a storm._   
_The Madman is smiling with his naked sword,_   
_The Bear prepares his cold deadly swarm._

_The sirens still sing as they dance on the land,_   
_That is cursed by secrets and gloom._   
_For those in despair they offer a hand,_   
_To guide them in silence into their doom._

_Something is coming, the Madman has said,_   
_The monsters awake deep down below._   
_And yet false rumors continue to spread,_   
_They speak of the false dangerous crow._

 

**XI**

 

**A Pʟᴀᴄᴇ Wʜᴇʀᴇ Mᴇɴ Kɴᴇᴇʟ [II]**

 

_Look Outside_ \- IAMX

 

 

“Angela.” Lucio’s voice was a haunting echo that grabbed the doctor’s attention right away. It’s been a long while since she’d been staring through a small window of the captain’s cabin. The outside view was making her sick as the dark ocean seemed to attract demons of melancholy and force them upon the woman. “Gabriel asks of your well-being.”

“Are you his messenger now?” Her voice was strong and quiet as she slowly turned around to gaze upon the herbalist. “You seem to enjoy being a part of the crew.”

“I surely do not.” Lucio sighed, shaking his head as he didn’t dare to approach Ziegler. He knew her too well, especially during the times when she wasn’t herself; it was best to speak to her from the safety of the exit doors. “It’s best to make friends with those that can kill us.”

“I see your point.” The doctor turned away once again, her cold blue eyes reflecting the rising sun. She hasn’t slept in a few days, it was obvious by the dark circles under her eyes. How could she when Mei’s motionless expression was staring at her the moment she would shut her eyelids. It was a torture not being able to help someone who was there for Angela for so long. Mei’s dream was never to be achieved and now the doctor took the weight upon her shoulders. She knew her helper would want for Ziegler to survive, to carry on with the sunshine for a smile and confidence that would break the strongest of walls. Alas, how could she? The woman was broken now as she sat in the warm cabin of a killer that risked his ship and crew to save the last of the healing trio. Angela desperately wished to know why, but right now she barely found the strength to speak.

“Tell the Captain, I am fine.” Angela shrugged, dismissing Lucio’s request as if it was irritating her. Truly, she’d been wondering a lot about Gabriel and the sort of the team he possessed. His broad shoulders carried a lot of responsibility as behind him stood a cold-hearted woman and a charming gunslinger with a dark shadow below him. Mercy didn’t get a chance to engage in a long conversation with Amelie or Jesse, but she could tell that one of the sharpshooters began to dismiss themselves from Gabriel’s influence as well as the desire of staying on the ship.

“You haven’t eaten…” Lucio murmured, his eyes glancing over a platter that was filled with sea delicacies. Since the dinner on the deck, Angela completely lost the shine in her that always cheered the herbalist on. Now, she seemed to die before him, her smile rotting like the fish steak on the platter. “Please, you must remain strong...at least physically.”

“I will.” The doctor chuckled, her weak smile directed toward Lucio as she decided to elevate from the soft seat of the captain’s chair and make her way across toward her counterpart. “I just need time. I also need a firm step on land or I will go insane from this endless ocean.”

“The Captain said that we are nearing some island in the distance the only problem is that we still have a ship pursuing us.” Lucio hesitated as he noticed Mercy’s eyes darken, her expression fall completely.

“Is that the same ship that destroyed our home?”

“I’m afraid so…”

“What are the Captain’s orders?”

“Sail on. I overheard a few men talking about a hope of losing the ship. I heard one of them mention that Gabriel sent Morrison a warning.”

“Morrison.” Angela echoed back, shutting her eyes as her delicate hands curled into fists. She knew that name too well; she used to work for the royal bastard so that she could conduct her experiments under protection. It was going well until the accident of the night she swore to never forget but certainly did like a nightmare by morning. She revived a man under the striking moon but forgot who it was after a wave of shock went through her. The following day, Jack refused to tell the young doctor anything and Angela decided to leave far away from England, to flee from the horrors of the laboratory and herself. She felt guilty for not recalling the name of the poor man she succeeded to return from the dead, but maybe it was for the best.

“Angela?” Lucio’s concerned voice appeared from the thick darkness that seemed to imbibe the doctor yet again. Her thoughts were too deep to let her pay attention to the outside world. She looked downward and only smiled apologetically before bringing the herbalist into a tight hug.

“All my life is dedicated to protecting those in need. Mei is gone, but you remain. She would want me to protect you and keep us going until we can establish a new clinic.”

“And we will once this is all over.”

“I hope the pirates are merciful and will leave us at the first port. Honestly, I can settle anywhere as long as it’s far away from here.”

“I promise you, Ange, it will we alright.” Lucio smiled, looking up before both of them separated from their warm embrace. The doctor nodded, her eyes filling up with tears but she managed to hold them back. She cannot cry now before her friend, it will break his spirit and the moment of strength they shared. “I will tell the Captain you’re well and bring you some fresh food. I will personally make sure you eat it.”

“Alright, alright.” Angela laughed, watching Lucio exit the doors of the cabin before letting her smile fade. The doctor slowly sunk down onto her knees against the cold floor, heavy rivers broke out to run down her cheeks as she began to quietly sob. This wasn’t fair. The hope in Lucio’s eyes was so fragile she could already feel it breaking the moment they arrive at their destination. They have nothing except for a small capsule filled with a miraculous liquid that helped Mercy save the dead. Perhaps she could sell it for a price that would be enough to purchase a new home and yet, starting anew was very hard. If only Mei was here to tell Angela what to do and how to act. For the first time, right here on this damn ship, Mercy felt like the whole world turned against her and there was nothing she could do to fix it.

“Please.” She whispered, her hands covering her damp lips to calm the hysteria. “Please Orisa, protect Lucio at all costs. If you exist, if those legends and songs are true, please don’t let him die before me. Please…” The weeping continued, doubling in strength as Mercy curled on the floor, her tears soaking in the corner of her coat that protected her from the cold breeze from the cracks in the window.

Suddenly a knock on the door made her freeze. Her eyes flew open wide, wet eyelashes hitting each other as she blinked rapidly and hurried to sit up. She wiped her cheeks and scrambled to her feet with a mock of a cough.

“Y-Yes? One moment!” There was a tall figure behind the door that sadly didn’t mean Lucio’s safe return. The lady cleared her throat and leaned against the captain’s table, picking up the first paper that was under her palm and pretending to read it. “Come in!”

The doors popped up, the handles moving under a heavy hand before the captain of Death Blossom appeared in the entrance. Mercy’s heart sunk as she knew he could see her puffy eyes and the red tip of her nose along with her damp cheeks. The woman cursed at least thrice inside her head as she continued to stubbornly stare at the edge of the paper, failing to see any words. She must hide her emotions from now on, this was surely embarrassing before the man of the vessel.

“Lucio told me you were doing well.” Gabriel proceeded into his cabin, shutting the doors behind him. His voice was soft and calm, but his eyes radiated concern. He was suspicious of her state, the doctor could clearly feel the rising tension already.

“I see you didn’t believe him.” Angela hummed, licking her lips in hesitation. She didn’t wish to see the captain’s eyes right now because she knew she would unwillingly lose herself again. Somehow, she felt vulnerable in the company of a man that saved her life and fought with men above his title.

“I did, but wished to make sure myself.” Gabriel continued to walk toward Angela before he stopped before her, his gaze falling onto the script she was holding before a smirk struck his lips. Angela took a deep breath and hurried to make up a quick explanation as she knew he could tell she was in tears.

“I found a very sad story. I couldn’t hold back the sorrow I felt.” She shook the paper slightly, her heart beginning to race in a poke of nervousness. Reyes cocked his head to the side, his smile widening in amusement.

“Oh? Is my gunpowder supply count so upsetting?” The captain chuckled, reaching out to take the paper away from Angela. The woman choked a yelp as she realized that there were a bunch of numbers she failed to notice along with the names of the suppliers. “Not to mention, I am impressed you managed to read it upside down.”

“I-” The doctor’s expression turned pale before her cheeks bloomed into a bright red that ladies of Paris desperately tried to fake with their expensive makeup accessories. “I simply…”

“What is going on, Angela? Why are you crying?” Gabriel’s expression turned serious as he set the list aside, his posture seeming to straighten up as if hovering over the woman. Suddenly, the doctor felt like an animal shoved into a corner before its hunter, knowing there was no way out without an explanation.

“It’s tough Captain Reyes-”

“Gabriel.” The pirate corrected, crossing his strong arms over his chest.

“I can see her, Gabriel.” Angela sighed, her eyes shutting briefly as she tried to collect her thoughts. The damned tears began to well up again in the corners of her eyes, threatening to expose themselves before the captain. “I still remember her empty eyes gazing into mine as you carried us away. I saw the house crashing down on her body and all her dreams just,” the doctor whimpered, unable to hold back herself anymore. “She vanished there and I could not save her.”

“You couldn’t save many people, Angela. But that is how life works.” Gabriel continued to watch as the woman before him wept yet again. He sighed, pulling out a handkerchief from the inside of his cloak and offering it to Mercy. The doctor accepted the kindness, wiping her cheeks and covering the lower half of her face with it as she tried to stabilize her breathing.

“Many people die every day and we are burdened to someday lose those that are dear to us.” Reyes continued, carefully reaching out forward to tuck a lock behind Angela’s ear. It startled the woman, making her press back against the table and stare at the bold captain that only caught her eyes. “That is why I must put an end to the Royal rule of the waters. With them gone, people should no longer fear the Crown and the consequences of self-expression. We all can choose whom to be.”

“But what if the ocean is still not safe?” Angela whispered, squeezing the handkerchief in her hand. Now, she felt anger rising in her chest as she knew that with the law bringers gone, the rogue pirates would take an adventure of it and plague the seas.

“What do you mean?”

“Not all pirates are as wise and honorable like you, Gabriel.” Mercy answered, her tone turning harsh as she didn’t break her eye contact with the captain. “You are going to get rid of those that take a part in balance and let savages kill off innocent people. You cannot protect everyone at the same time.”

“You are being foolish. The royal crown makes us violent. With them put at bay, the pirates will be able to use the freedom and-”

“-And continue to rob and kill those innocent!” The doctor snapped, her blues struck with fire as she felt her chest swelling up. There was no way she would let Reyes destroy the seas by letting wicked pirates take over. “There are people in England that depend on their Navy just as those on the islands that depend on merchants and you.”

“You do not understand.” Gabriel exhaled, containing himself from letting irritation take over him. He was arguing with a woman, a wise doctor that knew a lot more than she should've. Not to mention, she was also the one that gave him this new life. “As pirates, we have a code and that code is protected from four corners. As a part of the Four Infamous, my job is to protect and regulate my side of the ocean and all the pirates that live in it.”

“You cannot keep an eye out for everyone, Gabriel.”

“But I sure can punish them the moment I find out they have broken the law.”

“Pirates with laws, that is something new.” Angela huffed, crossing her arms as she felt like challenging the captain was returning her strength.

“Nassau was under my protection, I didn’t see you complaining, Angela.” Gabriel growled, seemingly annoyed by the snarky bold remarks of the woman.

“It’s Doctor Ziegler.” Angela snapped, her index finger suddenly pointing against the pirate’s chest. “Nassau might’ve been safe but don’t forget all those lives that were ruined by rogue pirates _you_ failed to punish.”

“And _you_ are the one to speak about ruining lives!” Reyes suddenly barked, causing the woman to cease her argument and silently stare at the raging captain. The man noticed the change in her expression as he summoned a wanted flashback. Yes, she knew what kind of lives she ruined, thus she chose to shut up. However, the captain suddenly felt a burden of guilt that forced him to take a step away and send his gaze elsewhere. “Forgive my tone, madam.”

“Please, I am not that old for such a title.” Mercy whispered after a moment of long silence, her eyes glued to the emptiness of the room as she blocked the pirate out of her vision. Gabriel watched her, sighing as he realized that he might’ve stepped over the line. She was a hurt woman that haven’t known the rogue ways of a pirate’s live and surely wasn’t used to it like Gabriel.

“We are nearing the islands. Please get some rest, we have a long journey ahead of us.”

“Ah, the worst is yet to come.” Angela chuckled heavily, covering her eyes with her palm as she leaned back. She could already feel a strong headache approaching that perhaps would help her fall asleep faster. “How far is Morrison’s ship?’

“I see that you learn the names of your enemies fast, Miss Ziegler.” Gabriel smirked and approached the woman again, his eyes running over her exhausted pale face. Somehow, he noticed that she was still as beautiful as the first time he met her no matter how much change overwhelmed her.

“Who doesn’t know that name?” Angela sighed and turned her head to the pirate. “Did you manage to lose him?”

“I’m afraid my warning only increased his desire to kill us. The ship is still on our tail.” Gabriel shook his head slowly watching as the doctor lowered the handkerchief down onto the table and made her way toward his bed that was adorned in crimson silk covers. There were three pillows that the woman could dive into, all filled with soft feathers and accented by black curling patterns.

“You will lose him, correct?” Angela leaned forward, her hands slowly gracing the covers as she suddenly felt a heavy blanket of tiredness embrace her. The doctor yawned and shut her eyes for a moment in hopes of gaining at least a minute of total tranquility. She knew this was her only chance to attempt to rest and missing it would be a tragic mistake.

“Yes. Soon, he will return home. For the last time.” The man’s voice became darker as he knew that Jack will see England only once before Reyes would sink his ship. That was an order the pirate gave himself and a promise for the rest of his crew. A promise to finally free the waters from the Royal Evil and roam with no fear. “Would you like a change of clothes? I have a few in my closets-”

“A few that you stole from ladies around the world?” The woman smirked over her shoulder as she pulled off her coat and kicked off her knee-high boots. Her walking attire was filled with dust and blood from unknown strangers. “I’d prefer not to wear a dress to sleep.”

“What I meant to say, is that the closet is full of my spare shirts. If you’d like to use one.” Gabriel finished, giving the woman a heavy look as he didn’t enjoy being interrupted. She was quick to jump to conclusions, but perhaps she had the right since many pirates were known to rob expensive wardrobes of fine dames for the sake of black market currency.  

“Oh. Then I will hurry to accept the offer.” Angela chuckled, knowing that she should’ve waited yet at the same time glad that Reyes yet again proved himself to be a gentleman. “Have you judged my size to conclude that your shirt will become a nightgown for me?”

“I’d be a liar if I deny that fact.” Gabriel shrugged with a smirk as he made his way toward a wardrobe the doors of which served as hangers for a few rugs. He reached inside to retrieve a cream-colored button up and offered it to the doctor. “But it’s obvious that you are much...smaller than me.”

“Men.” Angela laughed as she took the hanger, rolling her eyes before she returned to the bed. “May I have some privacy, please? I am sure you do not wish to ruin your reputation of a gentleman by watching me change, Captain?” It was Gabriel’s turn to suddenly become hesitant as he was suddenly embarrassed by watching Ziegler so closely. He cleared his throat and sharply turned away as he made his way toward the doors.

“Yes, of course. I heard Lucio is bringing you dinner. Be sure to accept it this time.” Reyes murmured over his shoulder and hurried to exit followed by the doctor’s audible giggle. She made him shy and perhaps that was the biggest victory of today besides trying to remain strong before her friend. Angela shook her head and quickly disposed of her dirty outfit before slipping on the captain’s shirt. Truly, it proved to be much bigger as it draped over the doctor’s thin figure and reached just below her knees. The woman looked around to spot a mirror hidden by the rolls of maps and looked over herself with a small smile.

“I look like I’ve been on this ship for years,” Angela commented as she let her hair fall loose onto her shoulders after pulling free the dull ribbon. The doctor massaged her scalp slowly, groaning as her headache seemed to only increase in power, forcing her to hurry to the bed. The sheets were soft and cool against her skin; a strong scent of gunpowder and unknown flowers surrounded her as she nuzzled the comfortable pillows. It certainly helped her to hide away from the world for a split moment and forget everything that ever existed.

Mei was still in her line of view but the tired body seemed to expedite the process of attempting to ignore the trauma. The dancing stars turned into splatters of black and blue under the doctor’s shut eyelids, promising the slumber was approaching. The blanket that draped over her body became heavier and the distant sounds of pirates walking on deck turned into an echoing soothing melody. Soon, Angela fell into deep sleep, her fingers squeezing the pillow below her as she indulged in the darkness and dismissed all worries for now.

The door to the cabin slowly opened and Lucio appeared with a large silver tray. He noticed the motionless body on the bed and smiled softly before quietly placing the tray onto the captain’s desk. The herbalist then approached the doctor, gently stroking her head as he watched her sleep.

“Rest up, Ange. Soon it will be over. I hope.” With that, the man hurried to exit, leaving Ziegler alone in the land of Morpheus.

* * *

“They’re close. I can almost see them.” The siren smirked as she watched the north horizon of the island. Her bright eyes could draw an outline of a black ship accompanied by another in the distance. “They’re bringing an uninvited guest.”

“A tail on Death Blossom? Never heard of that.” Genji chuckled as he ran his hand through the white sand, letting it slip through his fingers before he joined the woman by her side.   
“Gabe is losing his touch.” The siren cooed, clearly amused by the sight. She locked her hands together over her lower back and swayed softly from one side to another. “Qué triste.”

“Aren’t you going to help the storm?” The young Shimada questioned, cocking his brow at the entity as she shrugged her lean shoulders and chuckled.

“Why should I facilitate the Grim Reaper’s arrival? The harder it gets, the easier it is for him to come through.” The siren kicked her foot up bringing up a wave of sand before she began making her way toward the dancing water. “My sisters can take care of it. I just want to watch.”

“Interesting ways you handle things, Sombra.” Genji shook his head and lowered down onto the ground to regard the upcoming show. “Almost seems like you’re pulling the strings.”

“You’d be surprised, amigo.” The siren looked over her shoulder, a bright grin spreading over her face before she winked at the pirate. In the next second, she vanished the moment her feet soaked in the water, leaving behind a purple glow that slowly eased into the rising waves. Genji watched as a violet snake-like tail appeared somewhere in the distance and made its way toward the ships

“Don’t let her beauty fool you, brother.” Hanzo’s strong voice seemed to become thunder during a cloudless day, making Genji jump in place. “She killed more than you have.”

“I know the nature of sirens, Hanzo.” The younger brother shook his head, smiling nonetheless. “I also know that you still disapprove our alliance with them.”

“It’s one thing to distrust a cunning woman, Genji. It’s another, to doubt a siren.” The older brother lowered down, pushing the long ribbon away as the breeze seemed to toy with it too much. “We are mortal men after all. It will take nothing to fool us and see us hanging dead.”

“And yet we are the only ones to control the dragons,” Genji remarked, crossing his legs in a comfortable position to prepare for meditation. Hanzo only sighed and cast his eyes toward the horizon, seeming to measure Death Blossom and compare it with the Southern Wind.

“The dragons are the reason we made an alliance. It is also the reason why Reyes wishes to meet with us.”

“I am surprised the spirits notified us of his desire. Seems like the reason is valuable.” The younger brother chuckled, shutting his eyes and beginning to concentrate his inner flow in order to let it settle in the calmness of the ocean before them.

“Something is rising. It’s up to Reyes to provide a good purpose, otherwise, I will decline any offer of war.” Hanzo replied grimly, shaking his head as he watched the sails of the distant ship expand. The clouds began to darken, creating a swirling mystery above the two vessels that seemed to fight for distance. The royal man-o-war seemed to come closer, but the Death Blossom stubbornly requested for its privacy. The waves increased in size, now almost viciously hurrying toward the guests in order to test their strength. The Cursed Islands were preparing for another challenge, perhaps even more violent than the Shimada brothers had to go through.

“Those damn navy dogs.” Genji chuckled through his trance, taking a deep breath. “Do you think they will ever leave us alone?”

“We’ll see.” Hanzo hummed, his hands sinking into the sand, immediately embraced by the warmth that seemed to soothe. “Only madmen turn away from a challenge.”

* * *

The darkness consumed Ana the moment it entered the sudden storm. The wind picked up, wheezing past the sails as it began to viciously beat them. Masts vibrated in hesitation, spreading doubt that the ship would be able to push through. The bold captain stood at the head of the wheel, watching as his crew hurried to secure the knots all around the deck, screaming out commands past the rising clamor of the unforgiving weather.

“Captain Morrison.” A quartermaster caught Jack’s attention as he finally managed to climb the steps to the captain’s bridge. “A storm is picking up. I see rogue waves in the distance. We must proceed with caution.”

“Our ship is mighty and blessed by the Queen, friend.” Morrison shook his head, seeming to completely ignore the vigorous weather that punished anyone that dared to challenge it. “We proceed.”

“We lost a lot of men to the Smiling Brothers along with our navigator. If we get lost, it will be tough to find our course, sir.” The sailor reasoned, fear read in his eyes as the darkness before them didn’t promise anything. Death Blossom seemed to blend in with the current mood of the ocean and soon was lost in the sudden fog that rose out of nowhere. Morrison cursed as he stared ahead, feeling Ana swaying from side to side as if something was pushing her from deep within.

“We came along so far. We are so close to sinking this bastard. I am not losing this battle.”

“Sir, please, with all respect,” the quartermaster begged, coming closer as he held onto the railing. “If we keep going forward the weather will have victory over us and then we will forever lose our chance to sink the pirate. Come to your senses!”

“I am in my senses, man!” Jack snarled, his azure eyes glaring at the sailor that was pushed back by the wind and the powerful snap of the captain. Alas, he had a point. If the waves consume Ana, there would be no elite to personally execute Gabriel and his filthy crew. Besides, Death Blossom held Angela on board, a precious treasure that was to be hanged for treason back in England. If Jack died now, he would lose both of them and fail to avenge Amari for her loss.

“Sir. What is your order?” Another sailor appeared on deck, his face already socked by the rain that crashed down onto the vessel. Jack stared at him for a long time as he held the wheel before cursing loudly and taking a step back.

“Damn it. We will kill Reyes soon but I cannot risk my ship.” There seemed to be a wave of relief that ran over the ship as if it was suddenly blessed by luck. “Turn back, quickly, the rogue waves are approaching!”

“Yes, sir!” The whole crew seemed to echo as they knew that they would return home safely. It was best to sacrifice the persecution than give death the satisfaction to feast on a dozen fine and loyal elite soldiers.

“Giving up to quick? Don’t be a coward.” A female voice appeared behind Morrison, making him and his quartermaster jump in surprise. Both men turned around, spotting a woman in a long purple dress standing before them. She seemed to be untouched by the raging weather as her hair wasn’t picked up by the wind and her skin remained dry. She was smiling as her violet eyes penetrated the bodies of the sailor with a hidden sinister glow in them. She pointed her lilac nail toward Jack and drew a mocking circle with it as if tracing the outline of the medal on his chest. “Elite, ha-ha, funny.”

“Who are you!?” Morrison snarled, exhausted from uninvited entities appearing on his ship and invading the confidence of his men. Truly, this woman seemed much worse than the spirit of the lost brothers. Was she a part of Gabriel’s ghostly appearance or something more? “Get off my ship.”

“How rude. I thought Britain only bred finest gentlemen.” Sombra smirked, stepping forward and causing the men take two steps back. She enjoyed the knowledge of power she possessed over these mortals and there was no doubt in her glowing eyes.

“Sir…” The quartermaster whispered to Jack. “The only creatures that match her appearance are sirens, sir. I am afraid we have a greater evil to deal with right now instead of the Reaper.”

“Greater evil? Aww, you flirt with me.” Sombra smiled wider, her eyes following the quartermaster as she took another step forward before disappearing into thin air. Morrison blinked, looking around quickly as he wasn’t sure where the siren went before he spotted his second-in-command staring blankly ahead. Jack’s eyes widened as he noticed a thin bloody line drawn over the quartermaster’s neck before he suddenly began choking and spitting blood. The soldier fell to his knees, holding onto his bleeding throat before he collapsed face forward. Sombra appeared behind him, wiping her nails that were stained red with a disgusted expression on her face.

“Too bad I don’t like British lap dogs.” The siren commented, her eyes moving to Morrison. “Gabriel wants war. He is gathering the Four Infamous to come after your life and free the seas from English control. I suggest you listen to your men and turn around to bring an armada later.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Jack questioned as he watched the siren make her way around the corpse and toward the edge of the railing, reading herself for a jump.

“Because I like myself a grander show.” Sombra smirked over her shoulder and waved her bloody hand at the blond captain. “Buena suerte, niño bonito*.” With that, the siren stepped away from the railing, falling into the water below and leaving a similar purple glow behind her as her human warm melted in the coolness of the waves, releasing a strong velvet tail and carrying her away from the ship that seemed to be frozen in time. Jack continued staring ahead into the storm, his lips parted in silence as he couldn’t comprehend the occurring events. He heard one of his men call from the distance, turning his head slightly to acknowledge them.

“Sir...what do we do?”

“Gather an army, of course.” Jack sighed and called for a few men to toss the quartermaster’s body overboard. In the meantime, he grabbed the dead man’s hat and pushed it against a passing soldier’s chest. “Congratulations on your promotion, now, set the course for England. I am going to be in my cabin requesting the strongest of elites to join us. This is war, gentlemen.” With that, the tall captain left the bridge, his eyes glaring forward as he knew that Reyes wasn’t going to go easy on him this time. If he wishes for war, Jack will give him a war that would go down in history as the day the reign of piracy was over.

* * *

“Captain, Ana is turning away!” A shout from across the deck awakened Gabriel from his concentration in the storm. Was this the horror the Cursed Islands promised the moment they welcomed a newcomer? Surely, the captain of Death Blossom went through worse and this was barely a challenge. “We lost them!” Cheers spread over the ship as the men nearly celebrated the success over the damn royal dog. Alas, that meant that Ana would avoid the storm and potentially come back later, but that was nothing that Gabriel worried about right now. The Cursed Islands were nearing shortly and that mean that they would finally mean the ghostly member of the Infamous. Legends began to come true and now there was nothing the captain doubted.

The storm began to unexpectedly fall as if all of the rogue waves and winds were just a show, a spook to turn the ships around. The fog crawled away along with the black clouds, revealing a sweet scenery of an oasis before the crew of the feared vessel. Gabriel stared ahead as his red sails were lit with the sun that adorned the greens of the land before them. The water was almost unnaturally blue that contrasted with the pale sand. There was no sight of another ship which led Gabriel to suspect that the Shimada might’ve hidden on the other side of the island or perhaps never came. However, a sight of two figures standing on the shore killed the doubt that rose in his chest.

“Amelie.” Gabriel called over his shoulder, summoning his new quartermaster that immediately appeared by his side. “Please tell me you see what I see.”

“The islands are true.” Widowmaker smirked, pulling out a small spyglass from her coat and gazing along the shore. “Mon Dieu, are those the ghosts we sought I see?” She passed the device to Gabriel that only confirmed that the Shimada brothers were standing on the beach as if they knew when the Death Blossom was coming.

“Strange. It’s like they expected us for hours.” Reyes narrowed his eyes. “A mirage perhaps?”

“I doubt it.” Lacroix shook her head and whistled at one of the sailors. “Lower the sails, let’s board this island.”

“Your dream is coming true.” The captain chuckled, eyeing the French woman’s satisfied expression. “Almost like you planned it from the very beginning.”

“Surely a part of it.” Amelie turned to the pirate, her bright eyes staring into his as if there was something else she wished to say but it was best to be spoken in private. Gabriel did not question, he only nodded his head and operated the wheel in silence in order to turn the slowing ship.

“No way we are here.” McCree’s sharp voice thundered throughout the ship, causing the Reaper to grown. He already forgot the ingrate was on the ship, ever since he realized that Jesse wished to no longer be a part of the crew. Those that denied the captain’s authority were forgotten until dropped off at a port, alas, a long time of teaching this kid everything Reyes knew, the pirate developed pitiful tolerance. “Kill me twice, I cannot believe it!”

“Best do.” Amelie chuckled and reached over to unhook her crossbow from the side of her leather belt. She loaded it and climbed the railing before aiming forward at the beach. “If anything happens when we drop anchor, I am going to make sure that we bring at least one Shimada with us.” She whispered, narrowing her eyes as if concentrating.

“Woah, Woah. Why you gotta kill before even knowing who they are? Maybe they are the nicest people out of all.” McCree swung over to the bridge and stood by Widowmaker. The woman only shook her head and sighed.

“Oui, that is exactly why they are part of the Infamous, Jesse. The nicest of the killers.”

“I’m just suggestin’ that maybe negotiating with weapons ain’t gonna work.” The pirate shrugged and only grinned when Lacroix gave him a side glare. She didn’t like when her methods were questions, not to mention someone tried to tell her what to do besides the orders of the captain.

“Were you going to prison with the same ideology? Though the executioner was the nicest of people to negotiate with?” Lacroix cut deeply as she noticed Jesse’s face change and darken. She knew he wasn’t afraid of prison and could’ve easily escaped, yet nonetheless, it was clear he didn’t like to be mocked.

“Now wait a minute-”

“Quiet.” Gabriel barked at both, furrowing his brows as he ordered to lower the anchor. “I will not have you fight and strike foolish first impressions. Amelie, lower the weapon, Jesse has a point.”

“Ahh! What did I tell ya?” McCree chuckled, crossing his arms victoriously and gazing at the dissatisfied expression of the sharpshooter.

“Don’t get cocky, Jesse. You chose to leave us and you are not getting back here the moment you step on land.” Lacroix warned, coming around the tall pirate before making her way toward the deck where a few men began preparing boats for a safe trip ashore. Jesse sighed heavily, following her silhouette before he caught a side glance from Gabriel. The captain said nothing, only shook his head and released the wheel as the vessel came to a stop.

“She’s right, McCree. You know the rule.”

“Fuck off, Reyes.” Jesse cut off, shoving Gabriel’s shoulder with his own as he passed him. The captain naturally would’ve had the fool’s life for that but leaving Jesse alone was a courtesy for everyone. He watched as his former quartermaster lowered himself into one of the boats along with Lucio and Amelie and led it through the water toward the island. In the meantime, the captain entrusted the ship to one of the boatswains and made his way toward his cabin. He knocked a few times, requesting Angela’s attention but failing to hear a response. It was then when he slowly pushed the door open and entered the room quietly. His eyes were immediately cast at the tray that seemed to be empty, then the bed, that was occupied by the slumbering woman.

The doctor was snuggled under the covers, occupied with some vivid dream that made her pout in her sleep. The captain couldn’t hold back a smile as he approached the bed and lowered on its edge, searching Angela’s face with his dark curious eyes. His hands glided over her motionless arm, tickling the inside that made the woman mumble something and turn toward the pirate, exposing her face from the safety of the blanket. Gabriel carefully reached over and pushed away from the blond locks that seemed to hide her expression from him, his fingers softly tracing the outline of her pale cheek, still damp from recent crying.

“You didn’t deserve this.” He whispered, shifting forward as he leaned over closer. “But neither did I.” The pirate now seemed to hover over the woman like a hungry beast, imbibing the dull scent of medicine and flowers from Lucio’s garden mixed with the tragically familiar smell of smoke and burning homes. Angela looked like a fallen angel that was cast aside into the darkness of misery with clipped wings. It was a saddening scene as a woman so gentle was suddenly burdened by an adventure that even Gabriel didn’t expect. And yet, as he believed, everything was happening for a reason.

The doctor shifted slightly, forcing Reyes to pull his hand back that was exploring her tender cheek and chin. He watched as she scrunched her nose making an odd but amusing face before her limbs began to stretch. For some reason, the captain failed to notice that he was hovering too close, thus the moment Angela opened awakened, their eyes immediately met in a silent still moment. Her bright blues widened as she realized who was before her but words failed as her lips only parted. Gabriel continued to regard her calmly as if it was natural for him to be so close with someone.

“Captain Reyes.” Mercy mouthed, her hot breath nearly caressing Gabriel’s lips before the man suddenly shoved himself away.

“I…” He paused, shutting his eyes as he cursed at himself before rubbing his forehead with his fingers. “I was making sure you were alive. From the door, it looked like you weren’t breathing.”

“That’s an excuse that I haven’t heard before.” Angela chuckled, lifting up on the bed as the bright halo of her hair was now a messily tangled cloud. She scratched the back of her head, yawning audibly with no sense of etiquette that ladies were expected to have. “Are we at the islands?”

“Yes. Actually, we just arrived.” Reyes commented, elevating from the bed and coming toward the closet as he began to search for it.

“And the royal ship?”

“Gone. Spooked by the storm as expected.” The pirate smirked over his shoulder as he pulled out a dark outfit that consisted of black leather pants, a corset-like waist coat, and a long violet jacket. “This is all I have that might be close to your size. I am sure Amelie wouldn’t mind.”

“I am sure she wouldn’t dare say a thing about it.” Angela chuckled, lifting up from the bed as she stumbled sleepily toward the captain. Reyes watched her in amusement as he could see the outline of her figure under the large shirt.

“She speaks her mind as she wishes. I’m afraid she is the only one that is allowed to do so.”

“Ah. I see I’ll have to watch my mouth then.” Mercy smiled, accepting the outfit as she set it on the table and searched it in thought. “This will do for now. Thank you.”

“I suppose I can make an excuse for you, Miss Ziegler.” Gabriel chuckled, turning his back to the lady so she could dress in peace. “You’ve been quite bold with me lately.”

“I’m only honest, Captain.” Angela shrugged, wrapping the corset around her waist as she decided to keep Gabriel’s shirt on. She enjoyed the way it exposed her shoulders with the wide sleeves that reached to hide her wrists. Then came the pants into the waist of which she tucked in the shirt at the front and let a tail hang in the back; thus, it gave her a rogue look of a confident woman. Perhaps, it will help her blend in faster that way. In the end, she pulled on her boots and adorned herself in the coat that seemed to fit just right. “I must admit, Amelie has a wonderful taste.”

“She’s French. She’s bound to.” Gabriel hummed, turning around slowly after the doctor permitted. His eyes seemed to linger over the new Mercy before him in hunger as he noticed that the clothing complimented her figure well and the playful chaos of the shirt made her look exotic. Almost enchanting.

“So? How do I look?” Ziegler grinned noticing the man’s heavy gaze as she circled from side to side.

“Like a pirate ready for a fight to the death.” Gabriel shook his head and offered the woman an open door. “Come. We are to meet with another Infamous.”

“Oh, how exciting. Is that the ghostly legend you and Jamison were discussing at the bar?”

“You have a wonderful memory, Miss Ziegler.” Reyes smirked as Angela passed him to exit. He then led her to the remaining boat where the remaining crew guided the party toward the shore. Upon their arrival, the men helped Mercy through the water which she seemed to rather enjoy around her dirt covered boots. She lingered there for a moment, cleaning off a few splatters before realizing that sand was to become a bigger problem. The doctor sighed heavily and joined the amused crew that moved the boats to the side on the dry sand.

Death Blossom looked glorious in the sunlight along with the playful waves that caressed its hull. The naked masts haven’t subtracted from its greatness along with the closed windows were cannons once reigned during the battle. The signature figurehead that spread the message of death now reflected the sunshine with its glowing onyx, adding to the sinister atmosphere. Gabriel watched as the crew gathered behind him and Ziegler, soon joined by Jesse and Amelie. The Frenchwoman eyed the outfit the doctor was adorned in and only smirked, casting a gaze at Reaper that seemed to dismiss her silent mockery. McCree, on the other hand, decided to loudly announce just how breathtaking Angela looked, especially after she hurried to comb her untamed hair.

“Ya look like a wild Amazon, doc.” Jesse whispered next to the lady’s ear, making her shiver from his sudden appearance. “I’d watch out, we’ve got a load of hungry lads.” He winked at her, making the woman stare down at her feet in a wave of blush over her cheeks.

“We also have lads that can cut off a tongue if it gets too sharp.” Lacroix commented, proceeding forward as if to guard Angela against the trickster. Jesse only rolled his eyes and laughed.

“This tongue’s sharp for a reason, darlin’ “

“Oh, tais-toi*.” Widowmaker sighed heavily before she noticed the lingering figures approach the group. Gabriel gave a sign to stop moving as he straightened up in the middle of his crew like an alpha overlooking a potential threat. Two men made their way toward the gang, seemingly almost similar in height with same dark hair. One of them had strong facial features and a neutral cold expression that spoke of age, meanwhile the other had a smile on his face and a wild young vibe beating around him.

“Captain Gabriel Reyes.” The lively one spoke first, grinning from ear to ear before he dropped a short bow. “Pleasure to meet you and your crew.”

“Hanzo Shimada?” Reyes cocked his eyebrow, not sure the young lad was how he expected one of the most feared pirates to be. The man laughed out loud, causing a wave of confusion before he shook his head.

“No, no. I am Genji.” He shook his head and pointed at the man next to him. “This is Hanzo.”

“Ah…” Came the reply from the Reaper as all eyes froze on the man Genji introduced. Hanzo was adorned in an odd yellow attire the tunic of which seemed to cover only the right side of his chest. The black belt and a few accents drew a sharper look to his buff figure along with a bold tattoo of a dragon exposed over his left arm and chest. A black coat with a threaded golden pattern was draped over his broad shoulders but his arms weren’t pushed through the sleeves. His hair was brought in a high ponytail and fixed with a black ribbon that seemed to sway in the passing breeze as the captains simply stared at each other.

“You came a long way. Welcome to the Cursed Islands. Come, our camp is nearby. You surely need rest.” Hanzo spoke, his voice carried with grace and calmness of a true leader. Suddenly, Reyes realized just how infuriated he had been meanwhile thinking he was tranquil aboard his ship. The Shimada only spoke once and already he could spot years of strict control and discipline. Impressive.

“We thought you were fiction.” Gabriel smirked, taking a step closer as his eyes glided from Hanzo to Genji and back. The younger brother chuckled and shrugged at his statement, meanwhile, his counterpart only shook his head.

“We travel a lot and stay neutral most of the time. People rarely see us and thus they make up stories to promote our name.” Genji explained, turning around to guide the crew along the beach.

“Are the legends of dragons true also?” McCree’s curious voice suddenly made itself known from the crowd. The pirate stepped over, his eyes still frozen on Hanzo as if he couldn’t believe that this man was alive. He saw many assumed sketches of the Shimada’s appearance yet none of them could truly translate into such beauty. Jesse was struck, it was obvious. Alas, his fascination wasn’t mutual as Hanzo only glanced at him from the side and turned away immediately, letting his brother do the talking. Genji picked up on Jesse’s gaze and only smiled wider as he resumed in the same lively tone.

“For generations, our family was known for the ability to control ancient spirits of both land and sea. As we grow and train, we find within ourselves the power of a dragon that will guide us from the very beginning. It is only a matter of time that we get to tame and control one.”

“Do you have a spirit of your own then?” Jesse didn’t cease even after noticing the heavy gazes from his superiors. He was too curious and excited to meet the legends he secretly admired, especially after all those years of ghostly whispers Gabriel spoke about. Genji smiled, hesitating as he wasn’t sure what to say. Hanzo remained silent, knowing that his brother would always try to exaggerate for the sake of making new friends.

“Of course I have one! Hanzo even has two!”

“Brother.” Hanzo sighed, clearly dissatisfied by the bragging that his brother began. Yes, they might’ve appeared superior with the control of dragons at the palms of their hands, but Gabriel wasn’t a simple pirate himself. Everyone from the Infamous earned their name through some signature ability and power, thus it was only a moment away until Reyes decided to show his.  Genji knew that but often forgot when the excitement of sharing overwhelmed him; that is why Hanzo was there to restrict the amount of information that came out of his younger brother’s mouth. As expected, Genji quietened down and cleared his throat.

“I am sure you heard a lot of things about the islands. The creatures here are different, yes, but please consider to leave them in peace. They will be curious about you, but mean no harm.” The man halted after Hanzo made a short gesture. The large palm trees that invited the newcomers to the forest began to softly move as the crew of the Southern Wind showed up from the green depth, their eyes imbibing those from Death Blossom.

“This is our family.” Genji grinned, giving a short command for the men to come closer. “We set our camp here. Please, make yourselves at home.”

“Your kindness knows no limits.” Gabriel noticed with a smirk. “Can we trust you?”

“The island didn’t kill you, correct?” Hanzo asked over his shoulder, watching as Reyes only shook his head and narrowed his eyes. The Shimada smirked and nodded toward the sand where his men rolled out long silky covers as a place to sit. “Then you are safe. We came here with a friendly purpose.”

“I am honored.” Gabriel chuckled, giving a sign for his crew to come loose and enjoy themselves. A few pirates from the Southern Wind brought large baskets filled with delicacies along with bottles of wine. Naturally, Hanzo knew that foreigners didn’t enjoy the drinks of his homeland, thus he chose to visit a port to satisfy their eyes. The first impression was everything for him, even if he failed to admit so.

Once the crew spread out, an echoing wave of conversation began. The feast was mocking a royal picnic, instead, the royal luxury was substituted by rogue hunger and curiosity of pirates.  The captains situated closer to the water and away from the rest of the crew as they respected their privacy. There, on a large velvet spread with an image of a fire-breathing dragon, the Shimada brothers filled goblets with wine and offered simple platters of food that Reyes was grateful for.

“You came prepared.” He admitted once Genji offered him a glass of dark alcohol. The pirate smirked, noticing that this was no rum or whiskey that he was used to in taverns. Suddenly, he was treated like a noble in a company of someone as rogue and dangerous as he. “I feel like I am in a small England.”

“You visit our home, thus you become guests of our hospitality,” Hanzo spoke softly, pulling sake from his canteen as he didn’t enjoy the wine himself. “We must rest and feed our minds before making important decisions.”

“Aye.” Gabriel nodded, his hands reaching for a plate of cut fish that was clearly cooked. It was odd considering that they were on an island with no visible station for a luxurious kitchen, yet, the captain of Death Blossom didn’t hurry to ask for an explanation. As long as the feast wasn’t poisoned, who cares how and where it came from.

Soon, the trio was joined by Angela, Amelie, and the infamous McCree that already made a reputation for being obnoxious and overly nosy. Well, at least that’s what Hanzo managed to judge him to be.

“Allow me to introduce you my most trusted.” Of course, the statement was mostly directed to Widowmaker and Angela, but Gabriel didn’t wish to offend Jesse. After all, McCree proved to be a very valuable part of the crew and an excellent sharpshooter that could’ve been an interesting match with Widowmaker. “Mademoiselle Amelie Lacroix, my second-in-command, and a boatswain Jesse McCree. Both excellent mercenaries and a pleasure to work with.”

“Of course.” Jesse chuckled at the remark, sensing the praise to be sarcastic but nonetheless deciding to not push the topic further as he lowered onto the cover. His eyes caught Hanzo’s cold gaze that seemed to search the gunslinger before it moved to Amelie.

“Pleasure to finally see you, Miss Lacroix.” The older Shimada moved his head to Widowmaker that only smiled at him. It was obvious that the two met each other before by the familiar glow they shared in their gazes.

“You too, Hanzo.” The French woman nodded and accepted the wine with a satisfied smile. Finally, something of quality instead of the disgusting bourbon on the ship that the pirates seemed to obsess over. Widowmaker might’ve been a pirate, but she was a pirate of taste and blue blood deep inside.

“And this is a newcomer to our ship,” Gabriel commented as Angela sat beside him, fearing to separate from familiar faces she grew accustomed to. She lost the sight of Lucio the moment Reyes told his crew to burst, thus she decided to stick around with the higher ranking individuals. “Name’s Angela Ziegler. She’s an excellent doctor from Nassau.”

“What are you doing in a company of a vicious pirate, Angela?” Genji cocked his head, smiling widely as if the insult was only a compliment for Gabriel. Surely, the Reaper didn’t pay attention to it as the Shimada spoke the truth. He was already dragging his second drink, clearly thirsty for the addicting poison.

“My town was destroyed by the English Navy, I fear.” The doctor sighed, looking down at the goblet before her. She could really use a drink right now but the rising sorrow in her chest denied her access to any little pleasure. “I lost my dear friend and my clinic. I and my other friend were the only survivors. Thanks to, Captain Reyes, of course. He saved our lives.” Her deep blue eyes looked up at the Shimada brothers, a weak smile appearing on her lips.

“Tragic.” Genji shook his head and reached out to take Angela’s hand. Gabriel visibly tensed but said nothing as his eyes were glued to the younger brother that seemed to nearly embrace the doctor. “I promise you, they will pay for what they’ve done.” His smile seemed to soothe the woman as she released a soft sigh and nodded her head.

“I sure hope so.”

“That is exactly why I must have a conversation with you now.” Gabriel’s voice interrupted, making Genji back away from Angela that visibly satisfied the captain of Death Blossom. “I am sure you saw the ship that was pursuing us. Ana is a strong fortress in the hands of a powerful captain Jack Morrison. He served the Crown from the very beginning and has strong connections in England.”

“I surely know who he is.” Hanzo agreed, sitting upright in a position to give the impatient captain his full attention.

“As we speak, he is on his way to England. Yes, it might take him a month to get back, but that is a short amount of time. It will only take a week for him to gather more supplies and come back after me.”

“And what do you propose?” Hanzo narrowed his eyes, already knowing what exactly Gabriel was inclining to. Many families back at shores of Japan wished to strike alliances with the Shimada clan. From the manuscripts of history, Hanzo learned as a child that refusing an alliance only makes one stronger and more independent, but after years of sailing, he realized that making friends with someone just as powerful and sovereign would make him invincible.

“I wish to gather the Infamous and fight against Morrison and whatever it is he might have behind his shoulders. I wish to put an end to his terror and free the seas from his powerful dominance. Thus, pirates will be able to sail with no fear and you don’t have to be a myth any longer, hiding in the shadows of large waves.” Gabriel spoke with a solid tone, confident in each word that escaped his mouth. Angela sat with a fascinated expression as she realized that she was a witness of a real pirate negotiation. Truly, she didn’t expect it to become so formal and political. From the stories that she used to hear, pirates always fought amongst each other and made decisions upon a bullet in someone’s head. This was civilized, something not many would believe into.

“Freedom does sound tempting,” Hanzo nodded his head but frowned. “Alas, I cannot risk it knowing that you only have me at your side against the full Royal Navy.”

“Junkrat is with us too. He is in India by now according to Amelie.” Gabriel commented, nodding toward Widowmaker that only confirmed his statement by a hum and a brief blink of her bright eyes.

“The Terror of Royal Waves has returned.” Genji giggled as he downed another drink, laying back onto his elbows as he watched the Death Blossom’s crew enjoy the leisure in the distance.

“Is that what you call him between each other?” Angela questioned, catching the Japanese man’s striking eyes as he nodded. Learning from these people was something she never even expected since she dedicated herself to medicine from a very young age. Now, the doctor felt like she was becoming a part of something much bigger, something that wouldn’t corrupt her mind with lies and show her the world as it was: deadly and unforgiving.

“Yes. Your friend Reyes over there is known as Yūrei back home.” The Shimada pointed at the Reaper. “It means ghost.”

“Ghost? Is that because he is the Grim Reaper of the oceans?” Ziegler chuckled, smiling as she was amused by the strange nicknames pirates gave each other. Genji looked at her for a moment before a large grin spread over his face.

“There is more to it than that, Angela-”

“I propose we return to the topic.” Gabriel interrupted sharply, causing both Genji and Angela cast a quizzical gaze at the captain. It was clear that Reyes didn’t wish to speak about the ghostly part of himself and the younger Shimada seemed to catch up on the hint as he rose his hands defensively.

“Brother, that’s your specialty.”

“You’re drunk already, Genji.” Hanzo sighed heavily, noticing the flush of pale pink on his brother’s face. Genji only shrugged and laughed like an innocent teenager.

“I haven’t had one in a year. Forgive me.”

“How predictable.” Hanzo shut his eyes briefly before ignoring the giggling of his younger part and focusing on Reyes and the rest of eyes that were glued to him. Hanzo was truly a mystery to crack, especially the way he composed himself. There was something haunting about those brown eyes and striking sharp features, something strong and breathtaking. At least, that’s what McCree was thinking at the moment as his lips were pressed firmly to his glass but never touching the alcohol. He wished to enjoy the view sober as if afraid that any moment he would awaken on a cold bed of prison cell alone.

“The Bear of North still lingers by the cold shores. I wish to find her next.” Gabriel continued, his mouth filling with a view berries that tasted of heaven as their colorful flavors bloomed on his tongue. He hadn’t enjoyed such fruit in a while, not to mention he was not familiar with its origin.

“Which will take time.” Hanzo noted, his eyes once again moving to Jesse that seemed to stare without blinking. It visibly made the Shimada uncomfortable but he decided not to mention it.

“During that time I’d expect the rest of the Infamous to prepare.” Reyes shrugged, his eyes casting to the filing forest to his right as if wishing to spot a few mythical creatures books shouted about every time a chapter turned to the Cursed Islands.

“How will Morrison know of your plan?”

“I am sure he already does.”

“And what of a place where the battle will take place?”

“I will leave that for you to decide, Shimada. As far as I know, you’ve traveled far more than any of us did and seen the waters beyond. I will give you the honor of setting the place for the last battle between pirates and royal bastards.” The captain of Death Blossom smirked, satisfied by the idea that wherever Hanzo would see the fight take place, Morrison would breathe his last.

“You are ruled by vengeance, Reyes,” Hanzo noted as he searched Gabriel’s face. “There is a heavy burden that rests deep within your chest and killing Morrison is a supposed chance to lift it.”

“You have a penetrating mind, Shimada.” The pirate chuckled, crossing his arms after he finished his drink. “Legends don’t lie about your wisdom.”

“Legends are often called such to hide the ugly truth.”

“I wouldn’t call it ugly…” Jesse suddenly gave his voice loose, grinning at Hanzo, alas yet again being ignored. He did manage to startle the captain of Southern Wind, however, as it was clear Hanzo didn’t expect such a bold compliment thrown to his face. Genji, in the meantime, broke into an audible laughter that only added to the amusement of the rest. Gabriel arched his brow and only groaned while Amelie risked a meaningful chuckle.

“Are you drunk, fool?” The Shimada finally acknowledged the gunslinger, watching as the man tipped his glass revealing it to be full.

“Didn’t even taste it.” McCree smiled. “So? Is that a yes? Will ya help us?”

“I am yet to consider it. So far my answer is not positive,” Hanzo’s eyes moved back to Gabriel. “Nor is it negative. By morrow, you will have your answer.”

“As long as the island doesn’t kill us by night, I am willing to let you wait that long.” Gabriel lifted his shoulders in agreement, still doubting everything about their surroundings. It was too quiet and tranquil for a place that was rumored to be unforgiving and filled with dangers on every corner.

“By night the true island awakens.” Hanzo hummed, elevating his body to his feet and fixing the coat on his shoulders. Genji hurried to follow his brother’s example, though his attempt came out wobbly and clumsy. “Please join us in the heart of the forest in the evening. There is a large cave that you won’t miss. We will be waiting there.”

“Now why is that?” Gabriel murmured, his eyes narrowing as he watched the Shimada exchange a look between themselves.

“Every evening the Dawnbreaker ceremony begins.” Genji answered, leaning awkwardly against his brother’s tensing shoulder. It was obvious that Hanzo wished to smack the other on the head, but was using all his will to deal with it.

“The Dawnbreaker?” Mercy blinked, clearly interested by the unknown term.

“The praising of the Goddess, of course.” Genji grinned and lifted the bottle he managed to take from the nearby basket. “This island knows its culture and tradition. Every evening it thanks its protector for a wonderful day without invaders.”

“You don’t mean Orisa’s temple is located here?” Gabriel’s eyes widened as he didn’t know that the rumored deity inhabited this specific place. The Shimada only nodded at his question and shook the bottle as if toasting to the four on the cover.

“Precisely. We pay our respects and enjoy the show.” The pirate hiccuped, tilting the bottle to imbibe the bitter-sweet liquid within.

“Show?”

“Sirens, my friends!” Genji announced audibly. “Ever heard of them? Wonderful dames with beautiful voices. You will like it, I promise!” With that Genji was seemingly pulled away from others by his cold brother that made his way toward the forest. The rest of the Southern Wind’s crew followed shortly as they left Gabriel’s men resting on the warm sand with filled stomachs. Some of them already managed to fall asleep, while others gathered to for entertainment with musical instruments. As expected, Lucio was part of the band that played by the toying waves, a smile on his face as he seemed to be fully relaxed.

“So they come here, meet us, feed us, enchant us, and then just vanish into the forest? What the hell?” Jesse blinked as if awakening from a long trance. “I am perplexed.”

“You wouldn’t be if you haven’t been eating Hanzo alive with your eyes.” Amelie remarked calmly as she finished her glass, watching the musicians sing among each other. McCree visibly exploded from the comment, becoming overly defensive and shaking his head violently.

“No, no! I was just makin’ sure he was real, that all! It’s not often I see a legend come true before my eyes.”

“Right,” Widowmaker snickered and tapped Gabriel on the shoulder. “Are you going to accept their invitation? Afraid it’s a trap?”

“If they wished to kill us, Amelie, they would’ve already done it.” Gabriel’s voice dropped low as he watched Angela leave their small circle and join Lucio’s side. He watched her smile at the pirates that encouraged her to dance. One of them even offered her his partnership before they began to circle on the sand, hopping from one foot to another. It disturbed Gabriel for an unknown reason as if suddenly he was jealous that Mercy was smiling at someone else. Amelie noticed the change in his eyes and leaned in for a moment of privacy.

“Are you growing attached, Gabriel?” The French woman whispered, her eyes following Angela’s dancing figure. “Don’t tell me you took a liking to her.”

“What? Nonsense!” Gabriel exclaimed, catching the attention of Jesse that was flustered by Amelie’s remark a moment ago. Now, the gunslinger seemed to concentrate his ears on their conversation, a smirk appearing on his face as he realized what the topic was about.

“Is our Gabriel falling in love?” Jesse teased, grabbing an apple from an exposed basket and biting into it. He could see the rage rising in the captain’s eyes, but he knew he would do nothing about it.

“You shut your mouth. I am unable to feel that foolishness.”

“That’s what I am supposed to say, Gabriel.” Amelie cleared her throat, implying that she was the one to end her husband’s life in cold blood after years of passionate love and bonding they shared. Gabriel only knew strong friendships that ended with his death before a certain angel decided to play an evil game with him. “Don’t forget what she did to you.”

“I never will.” Reyes growled, kicking his foot into the sand as he lowered his head.

“You doubt your plan?”

“No. It’s taking forever for her to realize.”

“Might wish to tell her soon. With the war coming, who knows, maybe she will never find out.” Lacroix rested her head back against the comfortable cover, gazing into the sky. McCree joined her soon in the same position as his feet stretched toward the waves after he kicked off his heavy boots.

“What are ya goin’ to do with her, boss?” Jesse asked. “Widow’s right. With a fight comin’ close, she will be in danger.”

“I plan to leave her in a port on our way to find the last Infamous.” Gabriel sighed, his chest becoming heavy with the fast decision he made on the spot. Something didn’t want him to let go of Ziegler and that something that was making him irritated now.

“Cruel,” McCree remarked, pulling his hat onto his head to shield his eyes and taking a deep breath. “You’re always so cruel.”

“I am who I am, Jesse.” The captain barked, turning away from his resting crew.

“That’s the role you play, Gabriel. Gotta find who you really are. And I think that pearl over yonder gonna help you with that.” Jesse lifted his hand to point in the approximate direction where Angela was now sitting and enjoying the soft melody of the playing pirates. She seemed to fit so perfectly with the crew no matter how much pain throbbed in her chest and a broken heart. It was almost a pity to leave her alone in a place like Port Royal and wish her success a bon voyage. Jesse’s right: it was cruel.

“Do you ever shut up?” Reyes glared downward at a grinning pirate that only shrugged innocently and moved the hat to catch a glimpse of the captain.

“Only when my lips are busy, partner.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> quick translations:  
> *Qué triste - (spanish) - "How sad."  
> *Buena suerte, niño bonito - (spanish) - "Good luck, pretty boy."  
> *- tais-toi - (french) - "shut up."


	12. The Dawnbreaker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Open your eyes, believe that all illusions are gone, witness the shine of the Dawnbreaker."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a year. I have been liberated by new ideas of twists, character introduction, and three new Heroes that are about to make this story very interesting...

**XII**

**The Dawnbreaker**

 

_ London, England.  _ _   
_ _ Central Port of Overwatch _

 

“Lieutenant Amari.” 

“General.”

“Is the Eye of Horus in condition to sail toward the Caribbean?” 

“Yes. The ship just received the needed upgrades and is ready to serve Her Majesty.”

“Perfect. I want your crew to deliver a message as you will meet Admiral Morrison on the way.”

“I thought the Commander was going after the Death Blossom, sir?”

“The plans changed it seems. It appears that we are on our way to war. Now, please go and prepare.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Fareeha, one last thing.” 

“Yes, General?”

“Your mother would be very proud of you, child.” 

* * *

The Cursed Islands began to quiet down as the sun slowly crawled over the skyline, seeming to slow down as the night didn’t rush to embrace the hot sand. The crickets that resided in the depths of the forest beyond the beach spread rumors of the new guests in their coded chirps. Stars began to appear on the sky where the soft pink and orange turned into lilac and indigo. The shadows of the tall palm trees cast the perfect shade for the pirates whose full bellies forced them to fall into lethargy. Their eyes grew heavy from the amount of wine they pushed through their bodies along with the filling delicacies the Shimada brothers so graciously served. 

The music ceased as the players decided to indulge in swimming in the cool ocean in order to save themselves from the heat. The azure waves played along with their skin as the sunk completely underwater, leaving their clothing on the shore. A few of them playfully called Angela to join them meanwhile the woman only shook her head with a grin and timidly shielded her eyes. 

Gabriel had to bark a few orders to restrict his crewmen, but they remained flirtatious even knowing that disobeying their captain meant death. Ziegler didn’t find it to be an issue but was still grateful that soon the pirates left her alone to wander along the border of the beach and the mysterious forest where the supposed temple lingered along with other miracles. What kind of creatures lived here? Mercy could only imagine, especially after Genji mentioned the Sirens. Those breathtaking myths were only seen on the pages of the books in forms of sketches and colorful fantasies that haunted dreams. However, here, on the land that should’ve never existed, Angela realized just how many things she has missed back in Nassau. 

“Do you think they will kill us?” Lucio questioned as he joined the doctor by her side, rolling his long pants over to his knees so that the sand remained at his feet. He already disposed of his waistcoat and now walked around with an unbuttoned shirt, exposing his chest to the warming sunshine. “We are no pirates, after all.”

“I suppose that’s what we expected the moment Gabriel entered the port.” Angela smiled briefly, sinking her feet into the cool sand under the shadow of a wide tree. “It seems that they are much different from what we have imagined.” 

“Yes. I’ll have to agree. At some point, I thought they were nobles.” Lucio chuckled, lowering down to sit and press his back against the rough surface of the tree’s trunk. “But then I watched them kill and get chased by nobles instead.” 

“Oh, the irony,” Ziegler added, sliding her fingers through her hair as her bright blues overlooked the distant figures of the toying pirates in the water. “What children.”

“Children that are trained to be cutthroats.” The herbalist laughed to himself, soon joined by Mercy that seemed to take their situation with a bit of humor. 

“What do you think of Hanzo?” 

“His brother is very outgoing, something he needs to learn about,” Lucio smirked and shrugged, digging a small hole with his foot in the sand as he pushed small seashells with his big toe. “I don’t know, Ange, but Hanzo seems to know a lot. Maybe he is merciful enough to kill us fast in the cave tonight.” 

“To kill?” The woman’s brows furrowed on her forehead as she turned her head to give her friend a quizzical glance. “You don’t trust the Dawnbreaker?” 

“How can I? They feed us, let us rest until night comes, and tell us to find some cave to praise a Goddess. Meanwhile, I do trust Orisa and the songs of the Guardian, I have a feeling that we're being readied for a sacrifice.” 

“You think the Goddess is actually some death deity?”

“Could be! I mean think about it.” Lucio lifted his arms, hands sculpting false horns over his head as he scrunched his nose to look like some monster. “If the Shimada are known to control the dragons, then what the hell is keeping them from sacrificing us? Who knows what those dragons need?” Mercy watched him closely before the two of them broke the act and shared an echo of laughter as the amusement from Lucio’s comment certainly pushed the mood into a positive stream. However, the joyful privacy was soon broken by a tall figure of Widowmaker that was clearly drawn to the lively conversation. Her cold golden eyes glided over Angela and her friend before her thin lips formed into a side smile; at that moment her face explained the origin of her sinister nickname. 

“May I join the fun?” The quartermaster asked, lowering down to complete the small circle. She crossed her legs, pulling off her long tailcoat away from her sharp slender shoulders and tossing it onto the sand after folding it. “What’s the topic?” 

“The Shimada.” Lucio shrugged, his eyes tossing toward the ocean as it was clear that Amelie’s presence made him uncomfortable. The French woman seemed to notice the detail but decided to make it insignificant and carry on. 

“You’re thrilled by their presence?” 

“Concerned.” Angela corrected, smiling nervously as she watched the herbalist before looking back at the pirate. “We were considering a possibility of being sacrificed to some demon. After all, the brothers possess a lot of power we don’t know about.” 

“Ah.” Lacroix smiled wider, rolling her eyes back as if trying to contain herself with a snicker. It was amusing that those two thought that Hanzo and Genji would do something so savage. Angela and Lucio were guests on Death Blossom and anyone under Gabriel’s protection was nearly immortal unless the captain wished for their death himself. “They are capable of many cruelties, but this is not one.” The woman added, sitting up as her penetrating gaze never left the two. 

“What of the dragons?” Mercy questioned, chewing on her bottom lip as she suddenly became afraid after Widowmaker’s comment. She kept forgetting that she and Lucio were still in a presence of the infamous pirates that killed dozens of people.

“They do not require sacrifices. They are the power within the Shimada instead of some simple demons that are summoned by mortal deaths and blood.” Amelie explained, visibly easing the tension in her counterparts as the superstition was erased from their minds. “There are many things you will not understand, especially tonight, just remember to stay close to Gabriel.” Lacroix concluded, lifting her body from the sand before brushing it away from her legs and rear as she picked up her coat and turned to leave before Mercy’s voice halted her. 

“Are we in danger?” The doctor inquired, her eyes widening as Amelie’s heavy gaze fell upon hers, a smile striking the French woman’s features with a sinister shadow falling over her expression.

“Always.” The pirate answered before leaving the company of the healers and making her way toward the tapestry where Gabriel and McCree still remained in each other’s company, discussing things that no one else was allowed to. Angela briefly gazed at Lucio, swallowing thickly as she knew the herbalist was thinking the same thing. They were not off the hook yet until Death Blossom decided to give them a lift to the nearest port, though it was unclear exactly where the Cursed Islands were located. There, on a ship in the middle of the ocean, time was nothing as the distance was taken by waves and carried by patience. Now, as if in the middle of nowhere, the two friends could only wonder and hope that Amelie was correct about their invincibility under Gabriel’s dark wing. 

“She said always,” Lucio repeated, his eyes finally ceasing the game of avoiding Widowmaker’s gaze and returning to Angela. The two sat in silence for a moment as if considering their current options and figuring out just how much of an escape they could make. “There is no way I am staying on this island as a corpse.” 

“Neither am I.” Ziegler sighed deeply, her azure gazing a brief look from Gabriel that turned around to find the doctor as if Amelie reported to him about their concerns. The pirate captain had an odd expression on his face that only continued to increase the worry that boiled inside Angela’s chest. There was something that the Infamous knew that the healers didn’t and the absence of understanding only spiked the tension. 

“I wish we could just steal the ship and leave ourselves. Hell, I wish we didn’t get on it in the first place.” Lucio muttered, noticing the odd look from Reyes that was sent Ziegler’s way. 

“Circumstances made it impossible for us to choose, Lucio.” Angela sighed and shook her head, her hand running through her thick light locks. “Unfortunately, fate decided that it was time for us to learn the world anew from a different perspective.” 

“You’re getting philosophical, Ange. Are you nervous?” Lucio archer his brow skeptically, reading the vague body language of the doctor that he knew so well. 

“Of course.” Mercy chuckled and shrugged her shoulders as her thin fingers found a seashell to toy within the sand. She dug her nails into it before throwing it far ahead onto the ground behind her. “I don’t know what will happen tonight, nor do I wish to be a part of it.”

“We have to.” 

“Yes. We have to.” The doctor rose from her seat, her hands brushing off the sand as carefully as possible as she didn’t wish to ruin an outfit that Amelie formerly wore. It was an aesthetic piece that spoke of nobility as if the fearless quartermaster knew a life of elegance before her hands were covered in blood. 

“As long as we stay together, nothing will be an obstacle.” Lucio grinned, his everlasting positivity managing to surprise Angela yet again as she always found it hard to think brightly during tough confusing times like these. It was comforting that the herbalist, her darling friend, knew how to turn her weaknesses into her strength through his constant flow of energy. 

“Thank you.” Mercy smiled back, unable to resist the sunshine that played on Lucio’s face as they embraced each other. The shadow that embraced them seemed to desire to serve as protection from the outside world as the whole island was filled with pirates and entities beyond the wildest imagination. Nonetheless, the two partners had a plan of their own meanwhile the Dawnbreaker time was approaching. 

“No matter what happens,” Lucio whispered near Angela’s ear before breaking their heartwarming hug. “I will not let you die.” 

“Heh, it’s funny how I suddenly heard Mei’s voice.” Mercy admitted, her expression sinking at the thought of their perished friend forced the horrible weight on her chest to resume its unforgiving force. 

“I and Mei made a deal to always protect you in our interest. We might know medicine but no one does it better than you, Angela. You are able to bring people back from the dead and I think that is what the world deserves to discover.” Lucio took Angela’s hands into his, holding them firmly as his eyes never left hers. “If giving up my life means you get to live on, I will never hesitate to do it.” 

“Shut up.” Mercy’s eyes began to sting as tears welled up at the corners, threatening to tumble down and expose her to melancholy. “Please don’t say that.” 

“I have to.” Lucio shook his head, his hold tightening a he felt the doctor’s fingers beginning to softly quiver in the shock and anxiety of his statement. “The value and work you place into every patient are amazing. You deserve to save those in need, Ange.” 

“Lucio-”

“No. Don’t say anything or else I will change my mind.” The man warned though it was obvious that there was nothing that could sway his decision. Mercy only bit her lower lip before bringing the herbalist into another tight embrace and leaning over to bury her face in his firm shoulder. She wept quietly, grabbing onto his shirt and using it as a sponge for her salty tears. It was painful to let a thought of losing Lucio invade her mind; she lost so much already and there was no way that she could survive another. 

“Promise me to fight.” The woman whispered, finally collecting herself as she slowly looked up. Her eyes were red along with the tip of her nose, her cheeks soaked in sadness along with her jawline as the rest merged with the thin fabric of Lucio’s shirt. The deep blues reflected the pain she felt from the moment she watched Nassau’s defeat and the demise of memories that she used to share with two others. One remained the only one that kept her going. 

“I promise.” Lucio mouthed, smiling widely as he felt tears running down his cheeks. “I promise.” 

 

* * *

“Gabe looks so much older.” Sombra’s thin fingers reached over into a small bowl that resembled a skull and grasped a vine of grapes. The small green fruit popped one after another in her mouth as she chewed with a smirk on her dark purple lips. “You know,” she continued, leaning against a tree branch that she managed to climb, her violet eyes turning to the neighboring Shimada that decided to join her company. “He might be immortal, but he isn’t invincible.” 

“No one is immortal on this earth.” Genji shrugged, his hands occupied with the thin blade of his sword that he always carried on his back. He was used to inconveniences on every corner and it grew into a habit after endless fights with men and beasts. 

“Kraken sure is.” Sombra’s soft laughter spread through the branches, the leaves quivering softly under the dancing breeze. “He was around longer than we were and that tells me something.”

“There is a way to kill him.” The Shimada commented, although, it sounded more like a question than a point of fact. 

“I know not a way to kill him, but I know you can control him.” Sombra’s eyes narrowed with mischief-making Genji shift his weight on the branch in uneasiness; sometimes, he wondered just how much power the siren possessed deep within her mind. It was true, that the shapeshifters were not only beautiful and talented but also dangerous and intelligent. Sombra seemed to dominate that spectrum a lot more than the rest, making it seem like she had something more than the myths provided about her kind. The pirate shrugged and tilted his head to the right in order to take a good luck at the smirking woman through the dancing shadows of the leaves that surrounded them. 

“What is it then?” 

“You sure you’re up for a story, kiddo? I think you might be past your bedtime.” The siren taunted, carrying her body closer to Genji as if settling for story time on the contrary of her remark. 

“Sombra, the evening just began to hint its presence, I think I can spare a few hours before the Dawnbreaker awakens.” The Shimada crossed his arms, returning a mock of a snicker as the siren clearly took interest in his response. Without any further notice, Sombra chuckled and leaned her bare back against the neighboring branch across from the pirate.

“Very well, if you beg me to tell you.” The siren remarked in amusement, leaning her head back and sending her gaze upward at the sky that hid behind the rich greens of the forest. One of her legs slid to hang freely from the tree meanwhile the other remained pressing against it for support. Her hands slid across her thighs, fingers playing with the velvet silk as she seemed to think for a moment before her bright purples found Genji’s dark irises. “Kraken is the Cerberus of the dark deep. He guards the gates that lead to the palace of the King. I hope you know who the King is, Genji?” 

“Poseidon.” The Shimada shook his head. “Although there was no proof that he actually exists.” 

“You exist, don’t you?” Sombra’s thin brow cocked upward, her side smirk deepening as if she was about to burst into laughter. 

“Yes, but I am only a man-”

“With a will of an ancient spirit to bend under your power, isn’t that so?”

“I have not been able to summon it yet.” Genji’s eyes lowered in sudden shame as he admitted that the ancient dragons his family was able to speak to and fight along the side with only revealed themselves to Hanzo. “I talk to one in my visions but that as close as it let me approach.”

“I see. Does that mean Hanzo is yet again proven to be better?” Sombra softly changed the topic, suddenly with a need to continue taunting the younger Shimada to see just how much hatred dwelled within. “He is the true captain of the ship if he can summon them. My, he even fights with an old bow in a world where gunpowder seems to solve all disputes.” Her voice was tender but filled with weakening poison that the young Shimada seemed to catch onto. He didn’t like the way she poked at his inner struggles, thus the pirate sharply exhaled and glared at the siren. 

“He may be better in some aspects, but I can still prove myself to be a righteous captain!”

“By drinking and dancing all night long?” Sombra gilled as she knew she hooked Genji immediately after her first remark without his notice and there was no way he could escape it now. “Aren’t you afraid to bring shame to your family, Shimada?” 

“Don’t you dare speak of my family like that! I know what I wish to do and quite frankly, I don’t like the way our family chose to take over the world and the seas.” Genji huffed, scoffing at the siren that seemed to bathe in everlasting sick amusement. 

“Why not? World domination is a beautiful thing, Genji.” Sombra cooed, playing with her purple nails as she scraped them softly against the dry bark below her. “Trading with nations for free where you are fed with profit. Spreading a name that is both feared and respected on every corner and street, not to mention your face is always recognized and even avoided.” The siren whispered, seeming to inch closer to Genji like a predator readying to pounce on its prey. “Why don't you want to make the world respect your family’s name even after it’s endless glory was brought to a demise? Your empire is falling, Genji, and you and your brother are the last chance to rebuild it.” 

“You-” Genji swallowed a tight knot that formed in his throat, his eyes never leaving the violet glow of the siren’s eyes. “What do you want, Sombra?” He finally managed to spill after a slight pause, not sure what this woman was planning. “Was your story the beginning of this conversation?” 

“You learn fast, Shimada. Faster than your brother.” Sombra smirked, reaching upward to press the soft plush of her index finger against the tip of the Shimada’s nose, startling him so after making a short  _ Boop  _ noise to accommodate the odd gesture. The pirate blinked a few times, watching the woman lean back and grin with satisfaction in some unknown victory. “Poseidon is rumored to have a trident that controls the sea, but what many do not know is that there were three artifacts that the King of All Below has left before vanishing.” 

“What is it?” Genji, despite being utterly disappointed in Sombra’s behavior and remarks, inched closer with interest playing in his eyes. The siren only smirked and intertwined her fingers in her dark locks that were swept at the front of her right shoulder. 

“He possessed a crown that could shift the space and time. If my elders are as wise as they seem, the stories of my kind being saved by the crown a long time ago are true.” Sombra gazed downward at the ground that seemed to be far away. It was true, a lot of other sirens were killed when the Duskeater took over the warm waters of their home. It was a nightmare that Sombra kept hearing about from her superiors when she was but a child growing up on the shores of the Pacific, away from the horrible events. It was rumored that a death deity became infuriated with Orisa and forced all the darkness of the deep to destroy thousands of creatures as punishment for not fulfilling her part of the peace bargain. Alas, those were but rumors that Sombra didn’t wish to believe in, even if it means that her close family vanished in the deep that day. 

“Sombra?” Genji’s voice thundered through the siren’s head like a shock, pulling her away from her sudden flashback ventures and forcing her attention to focus on the Shimada whose curious eyes never left the woman. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, amigo. Nothing to worry about.” The woman grinned and crossed her arms. Genji arched his brow and shook his head slowly as if unsure if he should believe that false smile that danced on Sombra’s lips. Finally, he decided to let go and let her finish the story. 

“What is the third item?” 

“It is said that Poseidon had a gauntlet that could control all creatures of the deep. That is how the Kraken was placed before the gates of the underwater kingdom.” Sombra’s voice broke on the last word, suddenly coming to an unwanted epiphany that made her release a sharp exhale. 

“What is it?” The Shimada slowly reached upward, placing his hand over the siren’s suddenly trembling shoulder. It took them a moment of silence before Sombra’s violet eyes found Genji’s, irises expanding with an expression of disbelief. Her lips parted slowly, releasing no sound as she sat there gazing at the dragon whisperer before swallowing thickly. 

“The gates are left alone.” She mouthed, her fingers digging into the branch beneath her. “The Kraken roams free.” 

* * *

“How big is this damn island?” McCree growled as he pushed the large leaves of an unknown plant away from his face, his tired eyes scanning the surroundings. 

“I heard that the islands can expand depending on how many creatures occupy it at once.” Amelie chuckled as her delicate gloved fingers squeezed the life out of a wandering butterfly that dared to land on her crossbow that was cradled in her elbow. Jesse arched his brow at the gesture and shook his head with a short disgusted sound escaping his lips. 

“You’re too cold sometimes, Amelie.” The pirate whispered under his breath and paused at the edge of the trail that seemed to lead deeper into the forest. His brown eyes searched the green surroundings with hints of different-colored flowers that littered the ground. An inviting glow of wild bushes with poisonous berries located further up the road that the two proceed onward on. “I still don’t understand why you entrusted Angela and Lucio to go with Gabriel instead of us.”

“Because I trust the Captain,” Widowmaker smirked as she knew it always bothered Jesse when he was treated like a small child that couldn’t take care of himself. Truly, both of them knew that McCree was capable of maddening things, but the Captain’s will was never to be doubted. 

“Just because I chose to leave Death Blossom, doesn’t mean I am a traitor,” McCree grumbled, kicking a rock that suddenly became an obstacle before his foot. The stone flew in the bushes to the side, vanishing with a dull sound. Both of the pirates watched it for a second before resuming their movement. 

“You are no traitor, but you are the first one to leave Death Blossom alive and with your tongue still present.” Amelie chuckled, looking over her shoulder to make sure no one followed them here. Who knows, perhaps the Shimada had spies scattered all over the island just to make sure there was no sabotage planned against them. After all, every pirate was in grave danger every day of their filthy lives. 

“I guess Gabriel likes me.” Jesse laughed half-heartedly, tipping his hat to prevent the settling sun from playing too much on his face. 

“He raised you to become what you are now,” Lacroix remarked, searching McCree for a moment before she straightened the crossbow in his hands, aiming it forward. “You are a son he never wanted but made into a man.” She smirked, sending a slender bolt flying through the glowing leaves. A short whine accompanied a dull landing, signaling that a prey was captured; both pirates hurried toward the sound, discovering a small bird pinned against a thick brand of a tree. It was an odd-looking creature with four wings instead of two. It had a long blue beak, a small head, and a short neck that was covered with soft yellow feathers as the rest of its body. The bird’s body seemed to be smaller than the two pairs of large wings that made it look like a butterfly out of any proportion. Amelie reached over to softly glide the soft tip of her gloved middle finger over the dying creature’s head. It bobbed its beak three times before its crimson eyes dimmed, life vanishing from the tiny irises. Lacroix looked over at Jesse who was seemingly fascinated by the way the bird looked. 

“What in tarnation…?” Jesse’s squinted eyes studied the bird, reaching over to poke at its small but round belly. “They weren’t kiddin’ when they said this island is filled with wonders.” The pirate huffed and stepped away after Amelie pulled her bolts out of the branch and the motionless body. She caught the falling corpse mid-air and searched it a few more before hooking it over on the side of her hunting belt by its tiny legs. 

“A perfect souvenir for the cook, non?” She smirked, stepping forward to resume her walk as if nothing has happened. 

“Ya think that lil crumb can feed a whole ship? I mean I heard the French eat in small portion, but God damn it, Amelie, that’s just a cruel joke.” Jesse threw his arms in the air; the thought of starvation sounded much better than having something in his stomach that could not satisfy even a small percent of his hunger. 

“Perhaps you forgot that we have guests on our ship. I thought it would be nice to have breakfast with them in the morning.” Amelie threw over her shoulder, looking upward through the trees as if searching for her next target. A new bolt was drawn into the crossbow, pulled back and ready to deliver a fatal blow. 

“Since when you’re so nice, woman?” Jesse’s tone dropped into a melody of utter surprise. This was the first time he saw Lacroix participate in any planning that did not include killing or ambushing. “What’s gotten into ya?” 

“This is for Gabriel’s sake.” Widowmaker huffed, releasing the arrow of death into the depth of the leaves of the lower branches and smiling when a former familiar sound indicated another triumph. “Have you seen the way he looks at Angela? I doubt that was the same look he gave her when he escaped her operating table.”

“How do you know it was her fault?” 

“Whose is it then?” Widowmaker hissed at McCree as she hooked yet another body of the similar bird onto her belt. The poor thing was bleeding more than the previous one, its blood soaking into the black fabric of Amelie’s pants. The killer did not seem to notice however as she continued her hunt. “Three more to go…”

“You’ve got high expectations for this dinner. I see it as a bondin’ experience.” The ex-quartermaster whistled with a wide grin on his lips. 

“Trust me, this feast might seem like a friendly gesture to reassure our guests, but the topic I wish to discuss will make both of them realize just who they are dealing with.” 

“You always have a plan for everything, Amelie.” Jesse chuckled, pulling out his revolver from its holster and checking if all the six bullets were present in their places. 

“I do because sometimes distraction appears that sabotage the main objective. I am not letting our captain’s mind be dulled by some damsel in distress whose home was destroyed. Dieux, she is a doctor, she must be used to destruction and deaths.” The Widowmaker cursed further in her native tongue at this time two bolts escaped her deadly weapon, one hitting the target and the other vanishing further into the woods with no sound of success. It visibly puzzled the pirate, but she decided to investigate first before coming to a conclusion that she missed. 

“Are you jealous that Gabriel is paying more attention to Angela? Goodness, Amelie, never thought that you-”

“Listen, fils de pute*.” Lacroix barked sharply, turning toward McCree with her eyes blazing with cold irritation. It forced her companion to take a large step back, nearly losing his balance as his dark eyes were glued to the bitter amber of the sniper. “My very birth meant that I would become a part of this deadly cycle. The death of my husband, Talon’s break, Death Blossom, and now this coming war means that there are no times for jokes. Reyes may be falling for that woman, but let’s not forget the reason why he took her with us in the first place. The destruction of Nassau was a perfect opportunity for Gabriel to find out the truth behind his suffering that I witness so many times, even before your dirty nose appeared on the ship.” Her voice was straight and cold, but McCree could tell that she was fuming. The pirate opened his mouth as if to say something but hastily chose to stay quiet as it was dangerous to interrupt Amelie at any time. 

“This feast is going to be a warning,” Lacroix reached behind her without looking, yanking the bloody bolt out of the neck of the dead bird, catching the body, and letting it join the pair before. “They already lost one of their friends on the island, Jesse, it is only a matter of time before one of them joins the Duskeater.” With that, Amelie turned away from Jesse, venturing deeper into the woods in search of the bolt that was assumed to miss its target. The other pirate swallowed and hurried after the French woman. Amelie never lost her cool and never showed care for anything as much as she did now. McCree wondered if there was something in her mind, a plan of some sort, that was unknown to even Gabriel. Who knows, Lacroix was always known to be her own woman who, even if obeying simple orders under Reyes, was a captain of her own lonely ship. 

“Need a hand?” Jesse called, trying to keep his voice warm and distracting as to change the subject. He twirled the Peacekeeper by the circle of the trigger. “The matter may go faster, partner.”

“Non, imb é cile*.” Amelie sighed, her voice seemingly calming down. “You will damage the meat.”    
  


* * *

“Is this the cave?” Lucio leaned over a broken branch that was damaged by an unknown animal. Deep inside he hoped that the culprit was a herbivore and only wished to climb the tree to get the leaves up top, which resulted in the poor branch’s demise. Otherwise, his feeling of safety on the island just decreased from the lowest number to something that cannot be recorded in any existing math. 

“Indeed.” Reyes scoffed, looking down onto his compass and a map that Genji let them borrow before the Shimada departed into the forest. “I can only hope that this is not some childish joke.”

“Or a trap,” Angela added quietly, tucking a golden lock behind her ear as she peaked over Gabriel’s left bicep and studied the map herself. “I wonder what’s inside.”

“The Dawnbreaker,” Reyes added, looking over his shoulder at the doctor and the crew that gathered after having a nice clean up in the ocean’s warm waves. It was a refreshing experience, but the night grew older fast and Gabriel never liked to be late to any event that might guarantee a long-lasting alliance for future conflict. Shimada was rumored to be the best in the home region, which meant that if all the Infamous joined their forces there would be no British Armada that could stop them. “The temple is beyond the dark entrance.” 

“And I am just rushing forward to find out,” Lucio remarked with a smirk, stepping away from the tree and joining the pirate captain’s side. Both men exchanged an agreeing look about the cave’s uninviting air. Angela, however, was thrilled about the mysterious Dawnbreaker and some celebration that was rumored to be a show. She never saw anything like it; the sirens, old gods, and pirates. All those things were only rumors back in Nassau that now seems boring with its repetitiveness. This was a real adventure for her, and even if she lost a lot already, she had to admit that somewhat it was worth it. 

“What are we waiting for? Hurry up.” The medic grinned, trotting toward the cave before stepping into the shadows. Gabriel narrowed his eyes and called after Angela, groaning as he realized that there was no way that the woman would listen to him. She was wild, no matter how tame her character was. 

“Angela…”

“Doctor Ziegler, Captain Reyes!” The woman’s voice corrected followed by a ringing angelic laughter that echoed throughout the dark cave. The dark clothing that she was adorned helped her blend in with the eternal night before she vanished. The echo slowly dulled and soon the crickets of the night came to the crew’s attention again. As if in a stupor, the pirates exchanged their glances before the hoard hurried toward the entrance, worried that the darkness engulfed the medic with no promise of return. 

Upon entering, everyone could feel an odd tension rising behind them; it was as if space within shifted from the one outside, causing reality to bend into a different direction. The air became clearer, more crisp, as the pirates walked forward, seemingly lost in the darkness. The sounds of the night from the forest vanished as if they never existed, causing ears to pop if a desperate search for any sound to caress the struggling senses. Gabriel instinctively reached over to the holster of his pistol, swallowing as he tried to calm his beating heart that echoed in his ears. 

“Angela?” His lips moved but no sound came out. An invisible chill ran down his spine, something that the Reaper has not felt what felt like decades. “Angela!” 

_ We have no names here, just our faces. _

A sudden voice, booming and distinct, spread throughout the darkness of the cave, bouncing off of the invisible walls and splashing against the crew below. Suddenly, breathing was heard again, followed by gasps and curses of startled pirates. Gabriel’s gloved fingers jerked the flap of the holster before a large pistol was drawn, aiming as what seemed like the source. 

“Who are you!?” Gabriel snarled, his eyes failing to adjust to the damp blackness. 

_ We are you and We are a part of the above and below.  _ The voice continued, stunning the present by its power and grace.  _ You have to fear nothing, but trust that illusions do not exist in this place.  _

“Captain, I don’t like this…” One of the pirates whispered, but his voice traveled farther than expected, making his distrust known to the rest of the crew and the owner of the loud baritone. 

_ We will not fail you as We are here to guide what is within you.  _ The voice reassured; if it had a face, it would be obvious that entity was smiling. Reyes chuckled to himself as if a promise of all tricks being gone was a trick by itself. 

“You really think that keeping us in the dark will truly make us believe what you are saying? Perhaps showing yourself will suffice.” Lucio reason before Reyes could say anything. The captain huffed in approval; he knew he liked this herbalist for something, and Lucio never failed to impress. 

_ Lucio Correia dos Santos. A worthy name of a brave hero. You friend awaits you.  _

“How did you-” Lucio’s eyes widened in the dark before he suddenly gasped. The air around him tightened as if someone embraced him with a thousand thin threads. The herbalist called out Gabriel’s name before suddenly vanishing in a small puff of soft gray smoke that the rest of the pirate crew noticed immediately. 

“What in Neptune’s name…” A pirate gasped, poking the cloud with his dagger before briefly catching the captain’s tall silhouette turning toward the vanishing smoke. “Captain?”

“What did you do to Lucio, creature?” Gabriel shouted, staring intensely at the puff as if hoping for it to linger a while longer for the source of any light. 

_ He attends the Dawnbreaker. He awaits the rest as We do.  _ The voice beamed, sounding as if it descended lower.  _ You will join him with the rest soon.  _

“How soon?” Reyes sighed in agitation. “I hope this is not some ritual of sacrificing the darkest secret, because most of us will be stuck in this limbo for a while.” There was a roll of snickering among the pirates as they cheered their captain’s wits. Gabriel had to keep his men’s spirits up so that no anxiety could break them apart in case this was truly a trap and they just lost two of the prized luggage. 

_ As soon as you lower your weapons onto the ground and leave any violence behind.  _ The voice appeared up high once again before suddenly vanishing. 

“Very well.” Gabriel hummed, ordering for all artillery to be thrown onto the ground. The cave was suddenly filled with a shrieking echo of dropping belts, pouches, cutlets, guns, and more. Soon, it quieted down, expecting the voice to grant them entrance. A moment seemed to pass and nothing was happening; the pirates held their breaths as if afraid that they wronged the entity above. However, soon it appears, booming louder than before. 

_ Shine your eyes!  _

A blast of bright light emerged from nowhere, blinding the pirates and causing them to groan in discomfort. A few of them lost balance and collapsed onto the ground, shielding their eyes as curses escaped their lips. Gabriel huffed, lowering his head and protecting himself with the palm of his hand. Slowly, the light became dimmer but never lost its powerful glow, allowing the visitors to slowly get used to the change. The silence translated into a soft dance of music that waltzed among the pirates, awakening them from their confusion. Slowly, they stood, staring ahead with their eyes now wide in disbelief. The cave was larger than they expected. 

Beyond the entrance, that now was gone from their vision, a large space ahead was filled with a soft glow of pink, yellow, and green. A colossal dome-like ceiling was decorated with strings of hanging white and blue flowers that seemed to resemble a willow tree. In the middle, what was supposed to be the trunk of the structure, stood a large statue. It looked like a creature of Greek mythology: a centaur with four strong muscled legs and flat hooves at the bottom. Its torso was wide and decorated with various designs that resembled serpents slithering over to meet in the center of the statue’s chest. There, a large golden orb glowed with a hint of green that caressed the ground below that resembled a large bed of similar flowers as above. It had two long muscular arms: one with curled fingers that held a thin spear the tip of which vanished in the ceiling flowers, and the second was broken off as if something damaged it a long time ago.  The statue’s head looked like a bull with two large curling horns that sprung forward as if ready to battle any creature that questioned its authority. Its face, however, looked like a mantis, the eyes of which gave out a low golden light that brightened and dimmed once in a while. The statue of the creature was gigantic, almost reaching the ceiling and possessive a wide diameter of the flower bed. 

“Wow…” Gabriel exhaled. He heard of this temple before, but no one succeeded in telling these details. If he is lucky to leave this island alive and survive the war, he will surely add a chapter to his memoir to make sure everyone knew the truth. 

The scene was blinding and striking by its beauty. It was as if the world destroyed all the wonders of the world but hid this one to captivate visitors by the rarity of a miracle. Reyes felt his eyes water as if he could weep from the unbelievable magnificence of the temple that was kept alive all these years by creatures unknown to history. Although, the salty droplets were summoned by the change of dark and light, something that not all men were used to in their daily lives. Once adjusted, Gabriel suddenly noticed a small group down by the flower bed, recognizing them immediately. 

“Shimada...Lucio, Ange-Angela!” The captain suddenly called, attracting the attention of the smiling medic that was seemingly engaged in a lively conversation. The woman turned around and waved at Reyes, calling him to approach and join them. The captain did so along with his crew, soon reaching a close proximity of the statue’s feet. From here, it was obvious that the monument was old as now a lot of cracks became visible on the worn out surface. Nonetheless, the deity was striking with all its glory. 

“Orisa, isn’t she gorgeous?” Mercy grinned at Gabriel, standing by him as she nodded toward the statue. 

“Indeed.” The pirate agreed, craning his head back to get a fuller view from the sharp angle. “How was it built?” The question was directed to the Shimada that stood silently, watching the guests’ amazement. Hanzo blinked and chuckled before letting his fidgeting brother answer for him. 

“No one knows.” Genji beamed, coming closer to the guests. “Some say that this statue was once alive before mankind was created, roaming the dividing earth and deep waters to protect the inhabitant. However, after the defeat of the Duskeater, the Goddess was fatally injured and hid here in this cave. The grateful creatures tended to her day and night, but once the time came for her to pass, she used a spell to turn into stone with a promise to forever guard this island no matter the cost.” The younger Shimada took a deep breath, proud of his professional storytelling. 

“What do others say?” Gabriel inquired, arching his brow in disbelief. Even now, on this island, he was still quite the skeptic. 

“Didn’t the Dawnbreaker tell you to believe in everything here, Reaper?” Hanzo cocked his head, looking over from Genji’s tall body to see the captain. 

“That was-”

“Yes. It was. Now, please abandon your scientific questions, and allow the celebration to start.” The Shimada hummed, turning his head as suddenly a sound from behind startled the calmness. Everyone faced the place where the guests seemed to arrive, noticing two figures that stepped out of nowhere. 

“Of course. No party without him.” Gabriel groaned, hearing McCree’s loud:

“Holy shit!” 

“Ah, the pair we waited for!” Genji laughed, calling Amelie and Jesse to join them. The outlaw seemed to sprint toward the group, nearly falling over a rock and holding his hat as he stared ahead at the statue. Lacroix, on the other hand, took her time as her eyes were glued to her crew instead of the monument as if she had already seen the deity many times before. 

“Bonsoir*” She greeted the captains first with her striking amber eyes that appeared to glow brighter in the similar light of Orisa. Then, she gave a short smile to the medics and the crew that cheered the return of their favorite sharpshooter. She was utterly loved on the Death Blossom, no matter how much fear she planted into the heart of the world. 

“Amelie, so nice to see you again.” Mercy seemed to be in the best of her spirits; she felt so safe in this shrine, excited to see everything that the Dawnbreaker had in store. Lucio waved abruptly, too busy studying every inch of the flowers around them. 

“Ange…” He interrupted with a whisper. “All those plants can be used for medical supply...God, they are so rare! Can you imagine how many people we can cure fast in Nassau!”

“I know. I hope the Goddess wouldn’t mind if we take some samples.” Mercy grinned. Suddenly her eyes caught a glimpse of red petals in the sea of white. She suddenly froze, her body shivering slightly as she recognized the flower. “Blood of Hestia…” The doctor mouthed, her blue irises glued to the flower that softly swayed from an invisible force. She used it to create the mixture that brought the dead back to the living. It was the rarest things to find that no gold could buy if the world knew of its true importance. And it was here...right in front of her. One flower could create four potions, which meant four souls could return to their mourning families. One flower, right before her, if she just...takes it with her...it’s right here, then she can-

“Doctor Ziegler.” Hanzo’s deep voice ripped Angela away from her tempting dream, forcing her to stare right into his dark eyes. It seemed that he knew exactly what she was thinking. Flustered, the doctor looked away, clearing her throat before inquiring what the Shimada wanted. 

“Yes?”

“I heard of your loss. My condolences.”

“No need. Truly.” 

“I lit a candle for her soul. It is believed that it will guide her here.” Hanzo pointed at the golden orb inside of Orisa’s chest. “The Dawnbreaker’s heart contains all souls of those that were wronged by the evil left behind from the Duskeater.” 

“So bad people?” Mercy jokes, summoning a small smile on Hanzo’s lips before he nodded. 

“Indeed.” 

“But are bad people truly bad? Or do some of them have to be evil by an order of an authority? Is evil truly evil, or is it just a cover-up for a broken heart?” Her eyes widened slightly, a boost of confidence suddenly piercing her fingers as they curled into soft fists. 

“Your theory deserves an applause. Yet, I must yield for the sake of the celebration. I am a philosopher myself, but here I find a peace that makes me forget the things I must deal outside.” 

“You killed people yourself, Captain.” Angela’s sad smile was moving, but the Shimada only shook his head and gazed toward Orisa. 

“Here, everyone is forgiven for everything they did or had to do.”

_ Even you, Angela…  _

A whisper suddenly appeared in Mercy’s head, startling her. She blinked, sure that Hanzo did not say that to her. Who was it then? How odd...This place held many secrets within. She felt movement behind her, turning sharply to discover Gabriel’s tall figure standing by her, his calm honey eyes looking at her with a puzzled look. His face was illuminated by the glow, revealing hidden scars from battles unknown to the doctor. If only he was in her clinic when he was wounded, she could have made them less rough. However, they did not subtract from his handsome complexion, hell, she would be a liar if she said they made him ugly. Quite the contrary...And there was also something so familiar about him, something Ziegler could not recall or did not want to…

“Doctor.” His voice was a caress on her ears, that husky whisper was felt in her knees. 

“Y-yes?” 

“Are you well? You look pale?”

“I am very well, thank you.” She blushed, two pink roses blooming brightly on her white face. “I am just amazed by the Dawnbreaker. The view is...exhausting.” She laughed, summoning a smile on captain’s resting face. 

“I agree.” Suddenly his arm was offered to her. “I found a spot where you can rest. It’s under the trees over there.” He nodded to the west from the monument where a gathering of short trees stood. They looked so green and lively as if there was no winter or fall known to this temple. “Genji told me the celebration is about to begin and guided to a nice spot to watch. Will you join me?”

“Of course! How kind of him.” The doctor smiled, wrapping her hands around Gabriel’s strong bicep that seemed so hard and tense under the leather of his frock. A worthy captain in spirit and body, she remarked. The pair lingered forward, reaching the destination and landing on the soft bed of dark green grass that was filled with daisies. The doctor gently ran her fingers across the delicate blades, smiling at the silky feeling of flowers. This place was a paradise, alas it was only a matter of time before she had to step onto Death Blossom again and stare ahead into the endless sea. 

“You know, I never knew that one day I would end up here: a journey of a lifetime.” The doctor laughed to herself, shutting her eyes before taking a deep breath. She seemed so lively here, the burden of a loss left her chest a while ago as she knew it was time to let go for at least a moment. She wanted to forget that night and all the screams that now haunted her in her nightmares. Angela wondered if she could find more of the red flowers here and get enough that would bring back at a large number of people in Nassau. Of course, as a consequence, she would be either viewed as a witch and prosecuted, or as a God and a savior of all and worshipped. None of those things seemed tempting to her; she was but a doctor wishing well to everyone. Maybe...maybe she could even bring Mei back in hopes that her body survived the burning fire and explosions. She is so lonely there-

“I am glad you are enjoying yourself, Doctor.” Gabriel’s voice tore Angela away yet from another sad memory, causing a tear to fall from the corner of her eye and crawl down her cheek. The woman wanted to wipe it off in hopes of the captain not noticing, but the pirate was faster than her, using his thumb to dismiss the droplet into the unknown. “It’s hard, but you must enjoy this. Something tells me we won’t be back here in a long time.” 

“You’re right.” Angela smiled, swallowing a knot that choked her and turned her head toward Orisa as suddenly the sound of drums and flutes filled the air. Time ceased, sending attention to the feet of the statue, where, in the middle, seven female silhouettes appeared out of nowhere. All of them seemed to wear a long dress of a different color that accented their skin. The dames had long hair, full lips, and slender shoulders; by one glance, they looked ordinary, except for their eyes that glowed unnaturally in different colors. One of them caught Gabriel’s attention immediately. Her hair was dark brown with light -purple ends and brushed onto one side to reveal a clean cut and a few scars on the left side of her head. Her eyes, dark purple, were looking directly at Reyes, her lips smiling wider than the rest of the group. Her magenta-colored dressed swayed tenderly as she stepped forward, opening her arms to greet the guests. 

“Welcome.” She spoke, her accent spilling with every word and caressing the present with a warm and soothing voice. Alas, Gabriel knew that voice all too well to be fooled by its sweetness. He knew it was as sinister at the lilac glow in the woman’s eyes. 

“Sombra…” He hissed under his breath, noticing the grin that spread across the woman’s face as he knew she heard him no matter how far apart both were. 

“Sirens.” A whisper traveled from down below where the other pirates rested. Whistles followed to call out the beauty of each maid, causing them to shyly giggle and cover their mouths with their delicate hands. Those fools were already charmed, and only the Infamous remained watching in indifference. They knew what sirens were capable of and how dangerous the shapeshifters were. Hell, the Shimada had to fight them earlier. 

“They are beautiful…” Angela whispered, something in her poked like a needle of jealousy, astonished by the mesmerizing view. 

“That’s their greatest weapon. Don’t trust what you see. They are Sirens.” Reyes warning, pushing back against a trunk of a tree behind them once Sombra’s captivating evil eyes tore away from his. He will need to talk to her in private soon, but not here, not now.

“Sirens...I thought they lived in the water-” 

“They do, but they are different from those you heard of.” The pirate smirked. “They can shapeshift into beautiful women, birds, spirits, and even small children to get what they want. They cannot remain in that form for long sure, but they always get their job done.” 

“What are they doing here then?” The doctor scoffed, rolling up the sleeves of the blouse as it was warm enough in the cave to allow a few daring sheds of layers. 

“Celebrating.” Gabriel smirked as he listened to Sombra welcoming everyone and expressing the gratitude of praising the goddess before them. 

“-Orisa welcomes you with open arms.” The purple siren laughed. “We are so delighted to have company tonight! We are used to singing alone with no audience to witness.” The other sirens chuckled, nodding at Sombra’s words before they formed a circle before the monument. “Thank you and let the Dawnbreaker begin.” With that, the siren joined her sisters, taking their hands as she arched her back taking a deep breath. A thin thread of lyrics began to escape each dame, resembling a song in a different language. The cave became enchanted in silence where the song traveled fast, relaxing and kissing the ears of everyone present. The pirates melted, smiling like drunken fools in a tavern as they watched the show. The glow of Orisa’s heart began to shine brighter, the raining flowers on the ceiling swung softly from side to side as if dancing with the sirens. 

Angela grinned, falling under the spell of tempting singing, wanting to come closer and touch their soft hands, join that circle, and become a part of them. However, a strong arm wrapped around her small waist, pulling her closer to a warm strong body nearby. She blinked a few times as if coming out of a dream, turning her head to discover captain’s face just inches from hers. 

“Their song is evil even if every word is sweet, Angela.” His eyes were dark, knowing; it was clear that the pirate knew this song, or at least what it was used for. “Tonight they may be civil, but if they ever sing out there, in the deep waters, consider yourself dead.” 

“I...I understand.” The doctor took a deep breath, listening to the sirens sing in a new light now, resisting the temptation to leave Gabriel’s embrace and join the pirates below. The crew tended to extend their arms forward, wishing to touch the circling beauties, but the sirens backed away and came forward over and over again, playing a game of cat and mouse for their sick amusement. “What are they singing about?” 

“A dead sailor,” Gabriel smirked. “A story is passed among the pirates that there was a ship named Iris that fell victim to the sirens one night. Everyone was killed except for one man. For some reason the sirens spared him, bringing him to an island that they gifted to him. No one knows what happened to the man afterward, but rumors say that he possessed knowledge that no man does in the world. It’s only a story though,” the captain smirked, “Maybe they are just trying to prove that they have some mercy.”

“Fascinating.” Mercy hummed, burrowing her brows for a moment as she concentrated on the invisible flutes and distant humming. “Where is the music coming from?”

“You heard the Shimada, Angela,” Gabriel muttered. “All skepticism aside, believe in magic.” 

“It’s  _ Doctor  _ Ziegler.” The medic retorted, suddenly feeling a push of force against her. There was a shadow that fell on her face, forcing her to look up. There he was, the captain of Death Blossom, hovering over her like a hawk over its prey. The doctor gulped a big bubble of air, her eyes widening. 

“ _ Angela, _ ” Gabriel smirked, his arms coming around the woman, hands pressing into the grass as if trapping her. Mercy had to lay back slightly, knowing that there was no way she could make her escape but stand her ground. She was confused by the impudence Reyes showed that appeared out of nowhere, yet deep inside she liked the challenge. 

“ _ Doctor _ Angela Ziegler, Captain Reyes.” The medic battled back, not letting Gabriel win the fight over her righteous title. She received the highest education in her hometown, went through torture to become a professional, and will sure as hell keep it even in a company of savage pirates. 

“I am not sure if I heard that. May you repeat?” Reyes exhaled his hot breath that fell upon her lips painfully twisted her gut. 

“Doctor,” she barked back sharply, clearly nervous and taken back by this closeness. “Angela,” the captain seemed to pull forward yet again, leaving no air between them. “Zieg-” Suddenly interrupted, Mercy’s eyes widened as she felt warm lips against her. Her lungs froze, unable to let out or in any air that was now filled with the sweet smell of flowers. The sound of sirens singing dulled, the time seemed to slow down to come to a stop, and his lips...god his lips felt like they were burning her skin. 

Angela’s hands unconsciously slid over his strong shoulders, squeezing them as if she wished to do that for the longest time. It’s been a month, or even more, since Nassau’s demise, but it all felt like a snap of one’s fingers. Every day that she spent on Death Blossom was spent with  _ him _ , in  _ his  _ quarters, with  _ his  _ crew. If not her grief, she would have been driven insane by the smell of the see and power in this man that tempted her no matter how many times she denied it. And now, with her arms around his neck and his hands over her waist, Mercy suddenly fell into an oblivion of everything around her. She did not see a few pairs of eyes that landed on them, nor the glowing of the statue becoming brighter like the sun in the sky, or even the fact that the sirens’ singing seemed to belong to a hundred voices, not seven. The Dawnbreaker enchanted both of them, forcing them to confess a common curiosity. 

The kiss was tender, something she would not expect from such a fierce man. Well, maybe he is just making it soft for first impressions, after all, men are always careful with women they are curious about. Their lips felt like they were meant to intertwine in the dance that matched the mysterious melody of the celebration ahead.  Her fingers summoned a low groan in Gabriel’s throat after they lost themselves in his short but rich hair. The medic smiled through the kiss thus causing it to abruptly part. That moment was enough for the doctor to suddenly regain all her honest senses and plant a good smack across the captain’s face. She was surprised that he didn’t catch her hand but let her slap him. For a second, she was even afraid of her actions. But Gabriel only smirked and took her hand to kiss it before pulling away. 

“Never do that again,” Ziegler growled, hustling to straighten up and pretend like nothing happened between them. Reyes sat with a smile on his lips, giving the medic a cocky side-look as he enjoyed her timidness. 

“Of course. Never again, Doctor Angela Ziegler.” His tone was teasing, she could tell, and it bewildered her. 

“Where are your manners, Captain Reyes. As an honest lady-”

“You kiss very well.” 

She blushed and paused, astonished by the comment. 

“Really?”

“Mhm.” The pirate nodded, celebrating his victory.

“...You aren’t as bad yourself.” The doctor tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, looking away toward the dancing sirens.

“I am flattered to hear that, Doctor Zie-”

“Angela.”

“Hm?”

“Call me Angela, Gabriel.” The doctor tried to smile, turning her head to the captivated captain. He nodded his head, returning her gesture with a slow nod, his eyes looking at her from lowered lids. 

“I shall be honored.” The Reaper’s low laugh sent a shiver down Mercy’s spine. She was mad as she now allowed herself to notice those small pleasant things. It took her a moment of thinking before she called his name again, turning his attention away from the sirens. 

“Do it again.” Her voice was quiet, and though the captain showed confusion, she perfectly knew he was aware of her wish. 

“Do what?”

“Kiss me.” 

“But I am tasked to never d-”

“Gabriel, I said kiss me.” Angela pressed, lifting her face upward with determination. The pirate looked longingly at her face for a long minute, imbibing the angelic beauty of the tortured soul before leaning forward. 

“Be careful what you wish for.” He smirked, pressing his lips against hers. 

“I am not afraid.” The doctor muttered, pulling the pirate closer before losing herself in the enchanted glow of the Dawnbreaker.

* * *

“I’ll be damned, the Captain’s got a soft spot.” Jesse whistled, grinning as he broke off a long blade of grass and reached out to tickle the tip of Hanzo’s ear. The Infamous seemed to not notice the attempt until the soft green touched his ear. In a split second, he spun around and grabbed McCree’s wrist, shoving it down as his dark eyes shot the pirate a heavy look. 

“Touch me one more time, fool.” 

“Woah Woah, I’m jus playin’ darlin’!” Jesse pulled away, holding his hands up in a sign of surrender. “Ya seem grim, is all, just tryna cheer ya up!” 

“He’s always like this.”Genji laughed as he popped a cork open from his second bottle of sake. The Shimada were smart enough to bring drinks for everyone to really enjoy the celebration. Now all the pirates were intoxicated and filled with utter happiness. 

“That ain’t a life to live, partner.” Jesse chuckled. “We all go through some tough shit, but you can’t be bitter ‘bout it.” 

“And here I thought that I have to deal with one irritating monologuer in my life.” Hanzo sighed deeply, sending tipsy Genji a side look. The younger brother only grinned, clearly not wishing to take the older seriously. 

“I ain't-a 'monologuer', ya know.” McCree scoffed, clearly offended by the comment. “That’s for scholars up north that only itch their tongues and can’t even lift a cutlass. Fuckin’ weaklings.”

“Hm, I must agree,” Hanzo smirked. “But some scholars can kill with just a word.” The Shimada retorted, suddenly taking a pleasant part in the conversation. “A word travels faster than a bullet.” 

“I beg to differ!” McCree interrupted. “If I shoot you while you are tryin’ to convince me that sky is red and ain’t blue, I’m sorry, but you’re dead.” 

“Alas, a word may cause one to hesitate, to doubt the choice to shoot. Then, comes an opportunity for change or strike before they do.” Hanzo’s side smile puzzled Jesse as his words were true, however, in Jesse’s fearless experience, a kill was a kill. 

“Those who doubt their gun, are not worthy of it.” The pirate’s hand absentmindedly ran over the holster of Peacekeeper. “Sorry partner, but if we ever engage in a conversation-gun type of deal, nothing you say will make me stop that bullet hittin’ ya head.” 

“A worthy opponent, but it is not my words you will better, gunslinger,” Hanzo warned. “My bow’s arrows are faster than a bullet.” 

“One day, darlin’,” Jesse winked, reaching for a bottle of whiskey before him. “One day we shall see.” With that, the pirates exchanged another long look between each other as if there was something one of them wished to say, and the other hear, but nothing came out. 

Amelie, who watched from the distance, returned to cleaning the odd birds that she managed to catch on their way to the camp. She noticed Sombra’s glances, knowing that the siren has something to tell her. Everything was twisting before her out of balance: there was a war coming, Gabriel’s sudden attraction, Jesse’s leave from the ship, and of course the awakening of the Dawnbreaker. Something was coming, something bigger than the British Navy from afar. 

“Merde.” Amelie cursed, feeling the blade of her hunting knife cut through a thin bone and slice the skin of her thumb. Blood welled up immediately at the spread line but Widowmaker just stared at it. She couldn’t feel the pain or discomfort, so she simply licked the droplets and returned to the future feast’s ordeal. She gave the sirens one last look after they finished their singing and bowed deeply to the drunken audience whose applaud defeated the cave. 

“This is your last song, siren,” Lacroix whispered under her breath, turning the dead bird’s little naked neck to look at before cutting off its small head and tossing it onto a formed pile of feathers. 

“Enjoy it while it lasts.”

 

**Song** : _All That You Are_ - Song Audioworks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been such a long while and I am very thankful for all of you that waited and kept reading. I hope this chapter was not a disappointment but a promise to stay for more adventures to come!   
> Thank you with all my heart.   
> -Sin
> 
> Language notes:   
> *fils de pute : son of a bitch  
> *imbécile : idiot/fool  
> *Bonsoir : Good evening  
> *Merde : shit


	13. The Web that She Weaves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the Dawnbreaker ceremony slithers to its end, Sombra's curiosity tickles the dark web of Widowmaker's memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a gift to my favorite character in the Overwatch universe. Amelie is such a beautiful individual that is often misunderstood. She is no villain. She is a broken hero of her own hell.  
> P.S.  
> There a lot of foreign language phrases in this chapter. See the notes at the end for translations of needed.  
> Enjoy.

**XIII**

**The Web that She Weaves**

  
  
  


“You know what I find funny about you humans?” Sombra’s thing fingers slid across the cold stone, nails tracing the old claw marks that were left by a predator of the woods. “Is that you think you are safe when you carry an artillery on your belts.” The siren laughed, her lilac lips spreading as she leaned backward to announce her amusement to the silent Widowmaker. The French pirate only shook her head, her amber gaze turning annoyed by Sombra’s mockery. Alas, it was true, there was no safe place for a pirate, especially in a place called the Cursed Islands. 

“I can barely trust anyone on my own ship.” Amelie shrugged her shoulders, turning her head to throw a quick look over her shoulder, where among the spread leaves and branches, she could clearly see the crew leaving the cave one by one. After the sirens finished their song, Widowmaker was the first one to find her way out of the temple, shortly followed by the curious Sombra that knew the spider had a few things to say to her. 

“My, my, what news. Even good ol’ Gabe cannot provide peace?” The Siren giggled, amused by how easy to was to predict Gabriel’s human nature no matter what legends had painted him to be. Back in the Dawnbreaker temple, he barely looked like the fearless Reaper that devoured souls of anyone who crossed him. A said-to-be immortal captain was kissing a mortal woman who was partially the cause of his suffering. Shee was even the motive of his revenge and anger, but it seemed that the month spent together, or even more for that matter, the history took a different course. Sombra found it amusing, Widowmaker, however, did not. 

“Gabriel is himself when Death Blossom is ready to fight. You know what he is capable of.” Amelie leaned the back of her head against the dark tree trunk, her dark hair loose on her shoulders since a headache formed from keeping it up so often. The birds that she killed and cleaned were still hanging on her belt, waiting for their cooked future that would come shortly after the conversation with Sombra was over. 

“Aw, poor baby, let the el amante* have his happiness. Sure enough, it will be taken away from him like everything else in his life.” Sombra’s voice was cheery, but the darkness in her eyes spoke otherwise. For someone who knew how to manipulate people and take away their lives, she saw her fair share of losses that Gabriel had to suffer through. It was amusing to see him fail further once all of them parted ways long ago.

“We have a war coming, Sombra. Forming relationships will lead to nothing.” Amelie groaned, covering her pale face with the palm of her hand. The Huntress was tired and dreaded to kill some individual that only plagued the white world. Sometimes, she even missed the days when she received scrolls describing her objectives, were in the bottom right corner, she would always see a familiar bloody wax mark of Talon. Sombra seemed to notice the dim light of a flashback passing through the dead eyes of the French woman; she smiled, leaning forward to engage in the conversation. She knew what Amelie wished to ask her, but ever answer from a Siren comes with a price. First, she must indulge in her own sick curiosity. 

“Isn’t that what Gégard was? A lead to nothing?” She noticed how Amelie’s face changed even if no muscle twitched on her face. A whole world just turned over inside the killer’s chest and she didn’t acknowledge it. Years of training and suppression made Widowmaker what she was today: a cold-blooded killer with no emotions to get in the way. However, that name always sparked something in her even if she wasn’t able to understand it. 

“That is none of your business to know, Sombra.” Widowmaker barked in response, she did not wish to recall the memories that led her to Talon in the first place. After Gégard, no soul counted anymore. They were just names on the list and heads with a bolt through them. 

There was a pause between the Siren and the Huntress before the sea dame decided to switch the topic. She still wanted more out of this interaction than giving Amelie what she wanted. The pirate knew of Sombra’s plan but had no choice but to oblige. 

“What do you remember of us?”

“Many things that should’ve been forgotten.”

“Tell me. We have time before the Island becomes hungry.” 

 

* * *

 

_ Unknown location,  _

_ North Talon Quarters _

_ 1 year before the fall _

 

“Where is she?” Gabriel’s growling voice came from the closed doors that lead to the large crimson living room. The black furniture circled around the large maroon fireplace; flames danced inside, devouring the wood that was carefully assembled in a triangle. The present enjoyed the warmth before disturbed by the Reaper’s unsatisfied intrusion. 

“Who?” Amelie didn’t need to look over to know exactly what the man inquired. She sat closest to the far but still couldn’t feel the warmth is given. Her eyes were duller than her skin, her expression dead even in the soft orange reflection of the fire. 

“Who? You goddamn know who. Sombra.” Gabriel circled around the couches, staring at the curious expressions of the other present there. His eyes briefly stopped on a smile that the other female greeted him with. He could sense an invisible shiver running down his spine but said nothing and passed through the room to stand by the window. There was a storm outside, the ocean was raging over something unknown to mankind. Perhaps someone stole Poseidon’s trident again, and now the God was turning over the ocean floor to find his prizes scepter. 

“Who knows,” Amelie replied, reaching forward to touch the dancing flame. She didn’t feel how it bit her finger, pulling it away, however, knowing that it could still damage her. Her pale skin reddened, summoning a sigh from the woman behind her. She could hear her rise, approach her, and grasp her hand by her wrist. 

“I know it’s hard for you to adjust to your new feeling, but refrain from hurting yourself.” The voice of the doctor was always calm and sinister. Amelie should have never trusted her, but she did, and now there was something inside of the French woman’s body that was eating the rest of her past. 

“D’accord*” The Widowmaker nodded her head, pulling her hand away from the cold grasp of the woman’s hand. The doctor returned to her seat, smiling as she looked over to Gabriel whose gaze was glued to Amelie. He had an expression of worry slapped across his face; it was clear he could not understand what was wrong with the former lively woman he used to know.

“Gabriel.” The doctor smirked, snapping her fingers to pull him out of his trance. “Give it a few days. It always takes a little.” 

“That’s what you told me when you  _ assisted  _ me, Moira.” 

“Always complaining.” The woman chuckled and leaned back in her couch. “Sombra is not home today.”

“Then where is she?” Gabriel spat out impatiently, crossing his arms as no answer came but a mere gesture. Moira’s long finger rose from its comfortable spot on the leather back of the couch, thin fingernail pointing at the window behind which a storm raged. 

“Help yourself to find out, I wouldn’t recommend it though.” 

“What is she doing out there?” 

“Dancing with the Devil, Reyes.” Another voice, this time rude and deep, came from the opposite corner of the couch. “Do not forget what she is. What your ship is afraid of, is a home to her.” 

“Akande, since when did you like to join casual conversations?”

“Since they became empty and irritated my day off, Reyes.”  Akande shook his head and rose from his seat, grabbing a heavy book from the coffee table beside him. As he circled around, the fire lit up the blue title of the book:  _ Neptune’s Third Eye.  _ Gabriel narrowed his eyes, tilting his head as he cleared his throat, signaling to Akande that he was curious. The tall man paused, turning his head slowly to throw an inquiring gaze at the Reaper. 

“Yes?”

“Interested in the sea life when you’re bored?” 

“While you sit here staring at the storm, Gabriel, I am learning how to tame it.” Akande rose the book in the air, shaking it slightly in front of the pirate. “This is what you should indulge in as well. Embracing the fact that there are powers beyond strong ships, sharp rapiers, and poisonous gunpowder.” 

“You are telling me that I should learn how to cheat my fights and be a coward-” Gabriel was suddenly interrupted by Moira’s voice that came from his left side. He could’ve sworn she was sitting this whole time, how did he not notice her moving to stand beside him. The pirate looked over to notice the Irish woman standing there, with hands behind her back, and that signature smile on her lips that meant nothing good. 

“You forget that we are not the only ones that can possess such knowledge, Gabriel. People are more advanced than you think.” 

“Give me a good example,” Reyes growled, narrowing his eyes as Moira leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with this strange madness that could not be tamed by anyone but her. 

“Angela Ziegler.” 

 

* * *

 

Passage Entry of  _ Myths of the Lingering _

Chapter 20:  _ The Duskeater _

 

Whisper his name and darkness comes to consume your home and those that you love. There is nothing that will save you from his wings that spread to cover the Sun and the Moon. Your candles and torches will never ignite the night that will forever torment your eyes. As you linger in search of one speck of white, you will hear three chanting bells in the distance. 

 

_ One _ . All sounds with cease as if you have perished into oblivion, your body sinking into silence and yet your heart still beats. The darkness around you will become so calm that your mind will commence screaming, begging for one noise,  _ any  _ noise, to satisfy the rising madness in your chest. 

 

_ Two _ . Suddenly, you will feel as if walls have surrounded you, pushing against you with tension. You will become weak in your legs as if someone has sucked the life out of them, forcing you to fall onto your knees and silently beg for mercy. Your arms will weaken, your eyelids will shut, and mouth hangs open, never to say the prayers that you now so dearly believe in. 

 

_ Three _ . The Duskeater will appear before you, suddenly all the colors and sounds of the world will emerge from nowhere, blinding you with the power that he possesses. The time is his lapdog, space is his servant, and you are just another victim of his mercilessness. 

The Duskeater is no god, but he has the power to give or take. Only the Dawnbreaker was able to win and tame the Evil that seeped through the cracks of Pandora’s box. However, he was never defeated and only forced into slumber. Till this day, the Duskeater wait patiently for the day where he can finally spread his wings once more and devour the world for eternity. 

 

* * *

 

Gégard’s body was covered in blood. The sheets pushed aside as if there was no sign of struggle. This was an unforgivable loss. He was an important figure in the work of the Generals that relied on his well-trained intuition, wits, and a good sense of humor. With Gégard, Overwatch was able to create more information than some data predicted. Alas, not all great individuals are promised a long happy life. It was midnight when London received news of the Frenchman’s demise. All quarters rose, hurrying to the home of the Lacroix to see what has occurred. When Lieutenant Reinhardt entered the building, his eyes fell upon the bed where cream-colored sheets were drenched in red. Gégard’s body was motionless as if the man was never awakened by the nasty yet clean stab wound in his heart. Amelie, however, was never to be seen. There was an open window that led outside the bedroom and onto a roof of a neighboring building, suggesting that the killer escaped. After thorough investigation, it was determined that Mrs. Lacroix was the culprit of such cold-blooded murder. 

“How could she do such a thing?” Reinhardt leaned his large hand onto the bedroom wall that was covered in royal-blue wallpaper with golden accents that resembled flowers. His shut his eyes tightly, trying to catch his breath and comprehend the situation. Even Morrison was quiet, watching the night outside the window. In a moment, a warm hand pressed against Reinhardt’s strong bicep, causing the soldier to turn his head. He smiled slightly, examining a pair of two dark eyes that looked into his in silence of mourning. “Ana…”

“Do not worry, Reinhardt.” The woman smiled. “Gégard made a mistake in loving Amelie, but there is nothing that we could do. She is a Talon spy now, no doubt.” She parted away from the Lieutenant, making her way toward the window where Jack was now watching her, his arms crossed across his chest. “Right now, it is important to take Gégard’s death into accord and make sure that his sacrifice was not a waste. No more deaths by Talon’s hand in the night unless they put up a real fight.” Amari’s voice was strong, erasing the expressions of defeat on both men’s faces. Reinhardt nodded his head, straightening up before he gave the bloody scene one more glance. 

“I will avenge you, friend.” He muttered, walking out the door after Morrison, leaving Ana standing in the dim light of dying candles. She watched the body for a long moment, taking a deep breath and turning her back to the bed. 

“All of them will pay, Gégard, I promise.” 

 

Years later, Ana Amari was killed in action while sinking five talon ships just before its fall. The ship that survived the countless attacks was repaired and named after her, despite the ill omen of bad luck if a ship’s name was changed. On the contrary, it seemed to bring more victories until the day Jack Morrison challenged the Death Blossom at Nassau…

 

* * *

Amelie was nearly out of breath as she fell into a stack full of hay and leaves. She took a moment, inhaling deeply and parting her mouth to stabilize her heartbeat. Her crossbow was out of bolts and grenades got lost in the chase that was not a part of the plan. Who knew that the island’s baron had so many guards just waiting to be unleashed on any trespasser. The rich man was dead of course, but Lacroix had to pay a price for the assassination. An alarm was triggered when she entered the baron’s armory, causing her to flee after taking only one thing that Talon assigned her to steal. 

The woman reached to the rear of her belt under her coat, retrieving a map that marked all the locations where Overwatch headquarters and ports located. She gently unwrapped the scroll, her amber eyes running over the sketches of the continents and islands, noticing red markings and circles with indicated names. She smiled to herself, her breathing finally steading before she let the scroll return into its original hidden state.

Amelie rose from the hay, her hands brushing off the strands that were stucks to her coat and boots before she left the pile. She stopped for a moment, peeking around the corner to see the guards searching the perimeter, looking for any trace of the murderer. It was amusing how they thought she would hide near the villa as if a professional assassin would ever find the first random rock a perfect place to vanish behind. On the other hand, it was a blessing that the guards were stupid; it gave the Talon infiltrator time to escape without the need to look over her shoulder to check for flying bullets. Tonight was a triumph, a clumsy one, but nonetheless…

“Took ya a while, amiga.” Sombra’s sudden appearance forced the Widowmaker to point her crossbow at her, pulling the trigger to only find out that she was out of darts. The siren grinned, chuckling as she approached the other woman, circling around her to look over at the guards in the distance. “I am still surprised Max sent you instead of me.”

“He was worried you might melt before reaching your target.” Amelie retorted, crossing her arms over her chest after her crossbow was attached to the righteous place on her hip. “What are you doing here?” 

“Sirens don’t melt, dummy. They turn to sand.” Sombra rolled her eyes, whistling as she spun around on her heels, walking around lightheartedly, owning her own space. “Just checking how you’re doing. Making sure ya don’t need backup.” She winked at the other, causing the Frenchwoman to huff in disgust. 

“I have earned my trust in Talon, Sombra. I think the reason you’re here, is because you are bored. Seems Gabriel doesn’t like taking you on missions.” 

“Ohhhh, he loooves having me around! I am the one that’s always undetected in the plain sight.” Sombra laughed, attracting the attention of a guard that was closest to the site of Widow’s disappearance. He straightened up, calling out for the others. Sombra looked over her shoulder, her smile widening before she suddenly vanished in the air. The guards hurried forward, noticing Amelie standing still with an unimpressed expression. One of them called out as he recognized her, pulling out a gun and pointing it at her. The shot never came however as the man suddenly screamed, his forearm suddenly falling onto the ground, cleanly sliced off at the elbow. The others jumped back, watching at the wounded fell to the ground, holding onto his bleeding elbow and cursing in Spanish. 

“What the hell is going on!?” The farthest away shouted, pulling out his rapier and looking around himself as he suddenly felt movement at his back. Before he knew it, his blade was ripped out of his hand and soon stabbed through his chest. The man stared downward as a woman appeared right before him, smiling maniacally as she pushed the rapier further into his torso, causing blood to spill from within his mouth, toppling over to his chin as he fell to his knees. The third man turned around, noticing Sombra, alas before he could shout out she was before him, her purple eyes glowing as she stared into his. The guard froze, unable to look away as he was hypnotized by the changing shades of violet and odd whispers that appeared in his head. In the meantime, the siren reached for his gun in the holster to her right, pointing it under his chin. However, before she could pull the trigger, a dart’s sharp end suddenly emerged from his chin, forcing his mouth to fall open as he tumbled on the ground. Behind him, a few feet away, stood Widowmaker, her amber glowing in the light of nearby torches. Her crossbow was in her outstretched hand, the string fresh from a pulled trigger. 

“It appears I had a backup dart.” She said flatly, lowering her weapon. Sombra’s eyes slowly lost the shining as she stared at Amelie, her smile that exposed her long sharp teeth faded and formed into a frown.

“You’re ruining the fun.” She whined, lowering down next to the shot man and gathering blood on his face with her index finger before she licked it. The siren spat out right after, grimacing and cursing at the dead guard. “It seems all Overwatch helpers are gross to the taste.  ¡Qué lástima!*”

“Maybe you should save your shows for a better audience, Sombra. I have an item to deliver to Maximillien.” Widowmaker shook her head, turning her back to the scoffing siren that finally returned to her former human state. She rose from the dead bodies, pushing her knuckles into her hips as she glared at the departing assassin. 

“And I am hungry!”

“Then hunt for something better. Don’t embarrass yourself.” Widow smirked over her shoulder, stopping at a building before retrieving a rope dart from her hip holster. She swung it around a few times to gather momentum before throwing it upward, the curled hooks grasping the edge of the roof securely and letting the woman jump upward to climb the structure. 

“Don’t tell Gabe I tried to eat an Overwatch pig!” Sombra called after Amelie, hurrying toward the place where the French woman leaped up. The assassin only snickered, peeking over the edge that she masterfully reached in no time, her hands already wrapping the rope dart into a tight coil. 

“D’accord. I will let this one slide.” 

“Gracias, amiga.” Sombra giggled waving her hand at the other before she vanished in the mere wind just like the first time. Widowmaker only shook her head, turning away before she dashed forward, jumping over rooftops to reach the ship that was waiting for her arrival. 

 

* * *

 

_ Lacroix Residence _

_ Hours before Gégard’s death _

 

Amelie sat in a soft-cushioned armchair that was located near a wide-open window. The silky indigo curtains swayed from the soft breath of the fresh spring evening. The sunset just vanished, taking away all the fiery colors and yielding to the pleasant darkness that didn’t bite the eyes. Stars showed up one by one at first before thousands of them emerged from the thin veil of feather-like clouds that melted the further they crawled the blackening sky. She took a deep breath, shifting slightly in her seat as she couldn’t shake away a heavy feeling on her chest. It was as if there was something she was unaware about that was within her, curling into a tight knot in her throat. She scoffed, biting her lower lip as she tried to replay the events of the past few months. Even if the doctors in the Overwatch medical facility tell her that she is miraculously fine after the kidnapping, there is something else that Amelie is sensing. It is as if they missed something...something important-

"Chérie” Gégard’s low voice pulled the woman out from her thoughts, his warm firm hand on her bare shoulder causing her to whip her head around, staring wide-eyed into his soft irises. Her husband arched his dark brow, coming closer to a half-filled glass of pinot noir, offering it to the woman. Amelie nodded her head, whispering a soft thank you as she averted her gaze. “Qu'est-ce qui se passe*?” 

“It’s nothing.” Mrs. Lacroix exhaled, tasting the strong wine and letting it warm up her tight chest. The tension seemed to give into the alcohol, allowing it to consume the worry that swirled inside. “I have been feeling odd all day.” 

“Is it the-”

“Oui.” 

“Darling, the doctors said you are fine.” Gégard pressed against the back of the chair, wrapping his arms around Amelie’s cold shoulders. He was surprised she wasn’t trembling; usually, his wife always complained that it was cold. Perhaps the worry got her forgetful. 

“That is precisely what bothers me.” Amelie sighed deeply, letting her cheek rest on the warm forearm of her husband as she stared onward into the night. Talon does not simply kidnap someone and let go. 

“Perhaps it was a warning. Just a sick joke to shake everyone up in the headquarters.” The man smiled, nuzzling Amelie’s long dark hair and inhaling a sweet smell of rosemary that the woman enjoyed treating her locks with after every bath. “It will be alright, I promise.”

“Gégard…” Amelie paused, waiting for her husband to nod slightly to give her courage to continue. “What is going to happen now? They want you dead. It’s scary to sleep every night as I worry that one of them already infiltrated our home, waiting for the lights to fade, and-”

“Shhh, no need to speak anymore.” Gégard straightened, taking Amelie’s glass away as he noticed a tremble in her hand that swayed the liquid from one side of the curled transparent wall to another. He crouched before her, taking her hands and lacing their fingers together before kissing her pale skin. 

“I will not allow anything happen to me. We have two of our people downstairs in our living room on a night watch. I am a light sleeper with a pistol under my pillow. You are a professional yourself. The Talon scum will think twice and wise before trying to break into a home in the heart of the Overwatch territory.” The man reassured with a smile on his lips, however, it didn’t sway Amelie to take his side. She knew that when she had a feeling, there was something truly wrong. 

“Gégard, I do not trust the security of my own home.”

“Then, after we destroy the last Talon port, you and I can leave and live elsewhere.” 

“Can we go back to France?” 

“Bien sûr!*” The man grinned, rising to embrace his wife in a tight embrace. Amelie returned it immediately, feeling the warmth and strength of his body. Tears welled up in her eyes, rolling down her cheeks and soaking into the silky button-up Gégard hasn’t taken off yet. She loved him, with all her heart, and she didn’t want anything to happen to him. She would sacrifice herself in order to protect what they have built together. “Je t’aime, Amelie*.” 

“Je t’aime aussi*.” The woman smiled, tears neverending, as she embraced her husband tightly. “Stay with me until the world bleeds.” 

“I will be next to you, enjoying the show.” Gégard muttered, stroking his wife’s back that was adorned in a silky nightgown. He loved the way she looked at night when all the armor was stripped off and the dust from the outside was washed away by clean water. She looked like a Goddess, the tiredness vanishing from her face each time her pained feet slid into soft slippers he got her in Italy when on a mission. He wished to keep her like this, relaxed and untroubled, forever. However, their duty always called no matter the situation and personal need. Amelie sniffled, burying her face in his neck and whispering into his skin as her damp cheeks stained his collar. 

“I just want to rest.” 

“Me too, ma belle, me too.” 

 

In three hours, Amelie awakened by a whistle that wasn’t heard by her sleeping husband. Her face stoic as if she was frozen, her eyes glowing in the moonlight. She pulled a dagger from the open bedside cabinet that was somehow placed there, straddling Gégard’s hips before she jabbed the blade into his chest. The man awakened, wide eyes staring at the emptiness of Amelie’s gaze. 

“A-A-Ame-”

“Adieu, lâche*” The woman’s voice sounded as not her own. It was cold, monotone as if someone snuck over to their bed and swapped the real Amelie with an identical fake. The blade was sharply pulled out, causing the man to gasp, before piercing the same spot but deeper. Gégard gasped for air, hands aimlessly attempting to hold onto his wife’s thighs. Soon, his expression froze, chest fell, and the guards downstairs called out his name. Footsteps were heard hurrying up the stairs, sounds of knocking on the bedroom door to received an invitation. But the permission never came, only another distant whistle that forced Amelie to jump from the bed and leap outside the open window, knocking over the unfinished glass of wine that spread over the floor with reddened shards. 

Then, she vanished in the night. 

 

* * *

“Gégard was a fool to love someone like you.” Ana’s wiped the blood from the corner of her busted lip. She glared upward at the assassin that was standing on the ruins of some old structure of the old ancient world, still unexplored by adventurers. The woman aimed her rifle at the Widowmaker, aiming at her chest. This fight lasted for too long, she must put an end to it. Young Fareeha is waiting sick at home right now, probably complaining about Jack’s bad cooking. Amari could’ve sworn she taught that man how to make a proper chicken soup for the young one, but every time, Morrison seemed to get it wrong. 

“You know nothing about him.” Amelie’s voice was haunting, it was different from the uplifting tone that she had years ago, even when she was serious on the job. 

“Oh, I’ve known him even before you two got married. I think I can dismiss that remark.”

“You can dismiss everything, but the truth is there.” Widowmaker frowned, her crossbow shining in the falling sun. 

“What truth?” Ana smiled, her lips strained in blood and dust. “The truth that Talon bought you with some filthy coin and you decided to betray your family.” 

“You know nothing!” Amelie snarled, leaping off of the ruin, throwing her rope dart over to the other that stood tall behind us, swinging over Amari’s head. The older woman shot at the Talon assassin, missing Amelie’s leg but putting a hole in her frock. Widowmaker huffed, pulling herself up but suddenly falling from a loose rope that Amari managed to shoot before the French woman could reach her destination. She hit her back against the rough ground, coughing from the lack of air in her lungs. 

“Seems Talon have given you some toys. A shame that they are useless.” Amari approached, her eyes scanning the woman before her. She looked so much different from the Amelie that used to march the halls of Overwatch. She was a warm woman, but now, she was a wild monster. The look in Widowmaker’s eyes was like no other: cold and bloodthirsty. “What happened to you?” 

“I don’t know.” The woman answers, taking a deep breath as she suddenly tilted onto her side, swinging her right legs upward to knock Amari off her feet. Before Ana could react, the Widowmaker was already on her feet, loaded crossbow pointing at the other’s head. She kicked the rifle away from her hands, sending it into the shadows of the ruins.“I only know that Talon worth following.” 

“Really? Is that what they told you? You realize you are all on the edge of extinction.” Ana chuckled painfully, she was still hurt from earlier wounds delivered in the close-range fight. Both women were worn out, but it seemed age played a role here as well. 

“Talon can restore empires, we will thrive even if our numbers are smaller than Overwatch.” Widowmaker’s cold gaze was sharper than the shining edge of the dart. 

“Overwatch is here to protect the world from the wickedness of Talon. There is no empire that you control. It’s all in the post, you lost, Amelie.” 

“No, Ana.” The assassin stepped closer, pushing her foot against Amari’s chest to force her flat against the ground. “You lost.” A trigger was pulled, the merciless dart reaching its target and sending it into the darkness that swallowed the last rays of the dying sun. 

A new age was beginning. 

* * *

 

“Psst, amiga, are you alright?” Sombra’s voice felt like thunder in a middle of a clear day. Amelie blinked, awakening from her deep memories, sight focusing on the curious siren that was sitting nearby. 

“Yes?” Her voice was weak, drained for flashbacks that refused to let her join reality. 

“You got something on your cheek.” The woman tapped her own face to demonstrate the side of Amelie’s that she found concerning. The Widowmaker reached up with her fingers, wiping the cheek and freezing in surprise. There was a single tear on her pale skin… She hasn’t cried in gods know how long, what is going on? 

“Merde.*” The woman cursed under her breath, rising from her seat that began to numb her body from the motionlessness. 

“What’s wrong?” Sombra tilted her head to the side, but before Widowmaker could answer, Gabriel’s body emerged or rather fell out of, the rich bushes that surrounded the women. 

“Sombra!” He snarled, his voice echoing throughout the woods. “What the devil is going on?” 

“I don’t know, you should ask yourself.” The siren mocked, startled by the Reaper’s sudden debut before her. They haven’t spoken yet privately, she knew he wanted to, but the Dawnbreaker and guests got in the way. 

“I am going to shove your jokes down your throat.” The pirate threatened, giving Amelie a quick glance. She looked like she was dipped into a barrel of melancholy, a rare sight that Gabriel has not seen ever since she joined Talon. However, there was no time to inquire upon her state, he had a matter far urgent. “I thought that the Islands were tame!“

“Yes, when the Dawnbreaker shined.” Sombra nodded her head, confused by his statements. 

“Then why the  _ hell  _ is half of my crew is laying fucking dead on the beach after your  _ friendly  _  fauna attacked it!?” Gabriel was fuming with rage. Distant screams on the beach echoed throughout the woods, causing Amelie to jump onto her feet and stare in their direction. 

“Because the Dawnbreaker is over.” Sombra smiled knowingly. Of course, she would never warn anyone, it was more fun that way. “The Island has returned into its original pace. Its inhabitants are hungry.” 

“You are insufferable!” Gabriel shouted, his eyes glowing red and black smoke beginning to seep through the corners of his eyes. This rage was rare for him and when it came, it was hard to contain. 

“Gabe...you are showing-” Sombra commented quietly, pointing at the Reaper. It seemed to calm him down a little as his folly was brought to attention. The captain took a deep breath and exhaled dark smoke before he cleared his throat. 

“I cannot fight a war with three people aboard. I suggest you help us.” 

“I don’t wish to participate in a war.” The siren shook her head, jumping off the rock. She noticed the way Gabriel’s face changed; he was going to blow up again, so she had to hurry to pacify him before the volcano erupted. “But I know that you want me to tame the monster so that you can escape in the infinite blue with your blonde beauty.” 

“ _ Sombra _ …”

“Alright, alright, big guy. Relax! I will take care of it.”

“I will relax when I know the rest of my crew is safe,” Gabriel growled, watching the siren’s every move. He could kill her in no time, that was evident, and since he was one of the men that could, Sombra wouldn’t want to push his limits. She didn’t want to cause him to have more small wrinkles from the stress anyways. The woman waved at Amelie as she turned around and vanished into the woods, her laughter still heard in the carrying wind. She was the most sinister siren out there, and her endless power worried even the Reaper. 

“Amelie.” 

“My sword is ready as my darts, captain.” The Widowmaker straightened, ready to join the pirate on yet another bloodshed. Gabriel studied her for a moment; there was this sadness in her eyes he could not explain, but he knew she didn’t want to speak of it by the way she changed the subject. The man nodded and spun around, inviting his Quartermaster to join him. 

“Be careful...those things are...something else.” 

“Not the first time I fight monsters.” The woman smirked, her mind briefly picturing Amari’s dying gaze before she vanished from existence before her killer. “I am sure McCree can hold them off with the Brothers. I am sure he is friends with them by now.” 

“If you call that friends, I am the Queen of fucking England.” Gabriel threw over his shoulder with a chuckle. Amelie was always able to bring his spirit up even in a serious situation. 

“Be careful, captain, many want the Queen dead here.” Lacroix snickered, loading her crossbow as she ran after the pirate. The dead bodies of the birds from earlier bounced around her hips, dancing impatiently. 

 

Sadly, the dinner will have to wait. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Language notes:  
> el amante - lover boy  
> D’accord - okay  
> ¡Qué lástima! - What a shame!  
> Gracias - thank you  
> Chérie - darling, sweetheart  
> Qu'est-ce qui se passe - what's wrong? (literally: what's the matter?)  
> Bien sûr! - Of course!  
> Je t’aime - I love you  
> Je t’aime aussie - I love you too  
> ma belle - my beautiful  
> Adieu, lâche - goodbye, coward  
> \------------------------------------------  
> I know the chapter is short, but I hope you guys enjoyed! I've been having troubles with this work because I wanted to be accurate with the canon lore in core aspects. I came to a realization that in my universe I can make things work by keeping core elements and also bend them to match my own lore. I have new ideas already and feel much better about the large future of this growing work.


End file.
